Abstract
An award winning Danish housing project 8TALLET (best housing project at World Architecture Festival in 2011) designed by
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) was completed in 2011 and has since become a popular destination as a part of an architectural
pilgrimage – for those who explore the city of Copenhagen. Residents of this building have long been discussing whether they
should take any measures to control public access to the building. Indeed, they had taken a number of actions, which include the
placements of chains and gates at some entry points to access ramps and stairs. Residents’ everyday lives contest the intension
of the architects who wish to open the building towards society.
Employing spatial analyses, participative observations and direct interviews with residents as methods for ‘on site’
research, this paper unfolds the potential of the shared access route in the ability of evolving urbanity. The focus is on the
essential and iconic collective space of the building 8TALLET- ramps and open stairs. How could space beyond private domain
contribute to nurture social interactions among the residents but also enhance their relations to urban environments, while
protecting the privacy of individual households? Envisaging potential functions and uses of the shared access route, this paper
discusses the importance of continuous reflections of two perspectives: 1) architects’ logic (opportunistic attempt) of space
making and 2) residents’ consideration and appropriation of spaces.
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) was completed in 2011 and has since become a popular destination as a part of an architectural
pilgrimage – for those who explore the city of Copenhagen. Residents of this building have long been discussing whether they
should take any measures to control public access to the building. Indeed, they had taken a number of actions, which include the
placements of chains and gates at some entry points to access ramps and stairs. Residents’ everyday lives contest the intension
of the architects who wish to open the building towards society.
Employing spatial analyses, participative observations and direct interviews with residents as methods for ‘on site’
research, this paper unfolds the potential of the shared access route in the ability of evolving urbanity. The focus is on the
essential and iconic collective space of the building 8TALLET- ramps and open stairs. How could space beyond private domain
contribute to nurture social interactions among the residents but also enhance their relations to urban environments, while
protecting the privacy of individual households? Envisaging potential functions and uses of the shared access route, this paper
discusses the importance of continuous reflections of two perspectives: 1) architects’ logic (opportunistic attempt) of space
making and 2) residents’ consideration and appropriation of spaces.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Boundaries|Encounters|Connections : Papers presented at the Housing & Welfare Conference, Copenhagen, 7-9 May 2015 |
| Editors | Claus Bech-Danielsen, Marie Stender, Sighvatur Sveinn Davidsson |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Place of Publication | København |
| Publisher | SBI forlag |
| Publication date | 2015 |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 106-117 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-87-563-1698-9 |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
| Event | Boundaries|Encounters|Connections: Housing & Welfare Conference - Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademis Skoler for Arkitektur, Design og Konservering, Copenhagen, Denmark Duration: 7 May 2015 → 9 May 2015 |
Conference
| Conference | Boundaries|Encounters|Connections |
|---|---|
| Location | Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademis Skoler for Arkitektur, Design og Konservering |
| Country/Territory | Denmark |
| City | Copenhagen |
| Period | 07/05/2015 → 09/05/2015 |