Growing Fredericia

The FredriciaC jury announced the results of an ambitious urban renewal project in Fredericia, Denmark, as the city seeks to transform itself from an industrialised port town into a high-quality urban environment.

Experientia was part of Team Arup, which took second place in the proceedings, having been short-listed from many entrants to be in the final four. First prize was awarded to Team KCAP, for their innovative canal structure and focus on urbanism.

In awarding second place, the jury highlighted “Team Arup’s urban strategy and process-oriented recommendations for how to form the Fredericia of the future through active participation and co-ownership [through] specific action-oriented means … such as local food production and sustainable energy solutions”.

The team was composed of Arup Engineering, London/Milan, Effekt architects, Copenhagen and experience design consultancy Experientia, Turin, as well as various local consultants.
 

Experientia’s contribution

Experientia’s contribution concentrated on creating sustainable life and activities in the new centre, within five public “living rooms” or gravity points.

The jury stated that “the analyses of the future residents and users form strong elements of the proposal … successively increase[ing] value and attractiveness”. The process-oriented proposal was praised for being “extremely involving” and “inspiring”, and for strongly reflecting “the vision that urban life quality and development potential go hand in hand”.

Experientia focused on stakeholder engagement, participatory design processes, temporary events and sustainable quality of life initiatives. We are therefore very proud with the jury announcement stating:

“The jury finds the team’s proposal extremely involving, not only in the traditional urban development debates, but with respect to the involvement of relevant stakeholders and interest groups, which are deeply integrated into the entire described process: in its activities, organisation and financial structures. This way of thinking, where participation and co-ownership create identity in and close connection with the new town-district, provokes the thought how it can be turned into a lifestyle for selected communities of interest to live in FredericiaC. The process descriptions explain how citizens and businesses can act out and realise their views and values.”

Preparing temporary activities

Previewing the process, the area of the former Shipyard is being prepared to host temporary activities by the end of Summer 2011, with a participatory approach that Experientia is currently already supporting with the Fredericia City Government.
 

An innovative competition process

The extremely innovative parallel competition project leaves Fredericia with the possibility and the right to compose, between now and early 2012, the final development plan – as well as the final team of consultants – with input and inspirations from each of the four short-listed competition proposals.

The development of the new urban area will most likely cover a 25-year horizon, within which the site will be progressively occupied and become home to temporary to permanent urban development solutions.

Experientia has enjoyed being part of the innovative competition process. We are looking forward to contributing to the development of the sustainable future of Fredericia, and hope that many more opportunities for collaboration arise, as Fredericia realises its dream to become a vibrant, sustainable city of the future.