Albertslund South (Albertslund Syd)
2014 - 2022
Sustainable transformation
Preservation through transformation
The Atrium Houses in Albertslund South belong to the generation of large-scale, low-rise, high-density developments that shot up in Danish suburbs in the 1960s. An industrialized and uniform development in a technical quality that, unfortunately, has called for improvement through numerous renovations over the years. As part of a project competition, Vandkunsten paved the way for a new renovation practice by bringing both sustainability and autonomy to the Atrium Houses. Vandkunsten’s winning proposal aimed for ‘preservation through transformation’. The approach revolves primarily around modifying the landscaping and urban spaces to allow for new kinds of activities. The project deliverable contains a large assembly of options and leaves it up to the housing association and the tenants to pick and choose and coordinate solutions. The renovation of the more than 1,000 homes will be ongoing until 2022.
Tenants have a say all the way
‘I don’t think there’s any other place in the world where tenants have the same degree of influence as they do in this development. Naturally, this speaks directly to our hearts and aligns perfectly with our mantra of democratic architecture.’
– Klaus Richter Gydesen, Architect
More spacious atrium yard
After the renovation the court yard houses will have more air and direct access to the commons
Everything is put to the vote
Historically, the low rent in non-profit housing has come at the cost of top-down administration and a high degree of uniformity. That is no longer the case today. The Atrium Houses allow for personalized solutions in the individual homes, and general proposals from the building committee are subject to collective decision-making.
Before - Principles and materials come to the test
With 1000+ houses to be renovated, series of solutions are validated by 1:1 mockups in test houses. Winning the competition of the renovation of the Atritum Houses, we saw a possibility to mark a turning point in large non-profit renovation and for Danish building practice in general: here was the chance to build and rebuild with a noticeable reduced load of waste.
After - Test house
1001 Atrium Houses
The plan show the 1001 Atrium Houses to be renovated as one of the largest cases of renovation in the country and certainly our largest project to date.
Designed for disassembly
New facades are designed using sustainable design principles for disassembly. This mock-up detail holds a facade panel without perforation allowing for direct reuse or simple disassembly for cleaning or exchange.
New lease of life for old materials
From the outset, the ambition has been to transform the Atrium Houses in a way that sets new standards for sustainable renovation. Reusing materials that have been discarded and replaced is a key part of this strategy; for example, discarded fence slats have been used to build raised beds.
Add-ons ordered online
The tenants’ catalogue of options is an online webshop. After visiting the test houses, tenants can sit at home and shop and select the options for their individual home. Fittings, the color of the front door, and the entire interior layout are to be selected. Some options are free and others will add to the monthly rent.
The ‘x box’
One of the popular options is the so-called x box, an annex made of recycled construction wood that can be placed facing either the access side or the atrium side. X boxes are available in several variants and may, for example, be turned into a garden shed, a porch or a pergola, based on drawings by Vandkunsten. The residents can either build the boxes themselves or commission the work from a builder.
1:1 mockups
Five houses have been completely renovated to test technical solutions as well as design options and interior layouts. A sixth mockup house has been renovated to test the results of the first round.
Project facts
Facts
Project name: Renovation of the Atrium Houses (Gårdhusene)
Category:Housing, Renovation
Client: Boligselskabet BO-VEST, Albertslund Boligselskab SYD
Location: Albertslund South (Albertslund Syd)
Gross area: 110,000 m²
Date: 2014 - 2022
Status: Phase 1 completed, Phase 2 in tender
Number of units: 1001
Cost of construction: DKK 1,500,000
Project
Program: Renovation of not-profit housing
Activity: Architecture
Job type: 1st Prize in competition for masterplan for urban transformation
Contact: Søren Nielsen, sn@vandkunst.dk
Project group: Tanja Nors Tardrup, Rasmus Olsen, Thomas Nybo Rasmussen, Julie Gjettermann Bergelin, Klaus Richter Gydesen, Rasmus Voss Nyborg, Tobias Jørgensen, Søren Nielsen, Katrine West Kristensen
Team
Architect: Vandkunsten
Engineer: Wissenberg a/s (totalrådgiver)
Consultant: Sociolog Lise Gamst, Urbano, Transolar, Imgaine Envelope, Daniel Wedel fra Soul Food, Simon Austin og Mark Vacher.