09_Danmarkshusene, AlmenBolig+ 3 | Vandkunsten Architects

Category
Denmark

NAME

Project title: Danmarkshusene, AlmenBolig+ 3

Recommending party
The project has been submitted by: Vandkunsten by Jan Albrechtsen, Gilles Charrier, Jørgen Taxholm, Kristian Martinsen, Thomas Nybo Rasmussen

 

LOCATION
Country: Denmark

City: Rødovre

Address: 101-172 Brunevang
2610 Rødovre

 

AUTHOR

Designer or design team architects: Vandkunsten Architects

DETAILS  

Plot Area: 14.092 mq

Gross Area: 8.370 mq

Of which residential: 100%
Public/communal areas: 0 %
Facilities for the public: 0 %
Business/trade: 0 %
Offices: 0 %

Number of residential units: 72
Typology of users: families
Total building costs Euros: 13.848.717 euros excluding taxes
Building Cost = Total Bulding Cost / Gross Area: 1.654 euros / mq excluding taxes
Floor area ratio = Gross Area / Plot Area: 0,59
Work started on date: Friday, 25th March 2011
Work completion date: Thursday, 1st August 2013

OWNERSHIP 

Promoter: AKB Rødovre, KAB (Copenhagen Social Housing Company)
Allotment rule: Waitinglist, open to all, but at least one person in the household must have a steady income
Reduction cost percentage compared to the market value:
– assignment: 0%
– rent: 22% compared to market value

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

Cost of construction max: The construction costs have a 7% reduction compared to average social housing in Denmark. A long range of strategies kept costs down, a.o. turnkey contracting tendered as architectural competition was used to balance price and quality.
Rental/sale cost compared to market price: The concept brings down rents with 22% compared to average social housing in DK and has a more liberal landlord regime with improved tenants´ right of disposal, like putting up interior walls and upgrading kitchens. Costs are reimbursed at vacating.

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Rules of allocation: The rule of allocation is a waiting list open to all. The OHP-program differs from traditional social housing by requiring at least one person in the household to be self-supporting by a steady income from a job or pension.
Protection of fragile categories: –
Involvement of inhabitants in the building process: –
Community accompaniment in the life of the building: Applicants for a residence must declare their willingness to participate in the maintenance of buildings and its open spaces, e.g. mowing, pruning, oiling window fittings, cleaning gutters, shovelling snow etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Functional mixitè: There is no functional mix, Danmarkshusene are solely residential.
Common spaces and shared living: To keep costs down, there are almost no common spaces. But common entry ways and other spaces are designed to invite people to stay and meet. The shared maintenance of the property also has a significant positive effect on the sense of community.
Techniques and strategies for environmental saving: Wood is the main loadbearing construction and a lightweight built-up structure and slate-cladded façades equals a low GWP-impact. Passive House principles (insulation, air-tightness, heat-recovery ventilation) keeps energy consumption at a minimum.

Description of the project: 

 

> Programme
Danmarkshusene is part of the OrdinaryHousing-Plus program1, which brings down rents with strategies of prefabrication, DIY and increased autonomy for the residents.

> Urban context

The wedge-shaped site inspired the idea of making wedge-shaped units. The crescent endows the passages between the blocks with the experience of space rather than passageway since one cannot see from the one end to the other.

> Design approach

Expensive elevators and stairwells are avoided, resulting in three story row-houses as the prevalent typology. These plans are subdivided asymmetrically by an internal staircase, providing a small and a large room on each floor. Except for the kitchen, no rooms are dedicated to specific functions.

> Environmental Sustainability

The total primary energy demand for water, room heating and electricity2 is calculated at 31,6kWh/m2a3. The buildings are highly insulated and airtight with heat-pumps for room and water-heating. Part of the demanded electricity is generated with PV-panels.

Environmental impacts, such as GWP4, accounts for only 22% of a reference building of mainly concrete and brick. The use of wood as main material for the loadbearing construction, the lightweight built-up structure and the mainly slate-cladded façades explain the relative low impacts from the construction phase in Danmarkshusene.5

> Economic Sustainability
Danmarkshusene are built in accordance with the Danish social housing regulations with strict economic limits. An LCC calculated over 50 years shows that despite the low

1 Danish: Almenbolig Plus

2 for building systems and other public functions
3 The energy demand is calculated based on the total gross floor area. The Danish Low-energy-class 2015 sets a maximum of 36,5 kW/m2/year.

4 Global Warming Potential
5 Based on a Life Cycle Assessment over 120 years construction costs6, lifecycle costs are lower than those of the reference building, even though concrete and brick have longer service lives and are almost maintenance free.

> Social sustainability

The tenants experience a strong community and an exceptionally high degree of participation in local organization and maintenance work despite the lack of common facilities, such as assembly rooms or common greens. The obligation to take part in the maintenance work seems to be an efficient instrument for engaging in the community. 7

The dwelling types are similar to pricy popular terraced houses, this may explain the high level of satisfaction by the tenants, who are offered the residences for less than 80% of the rent for average social housing. The first-year vacating ratio of 5% is exceptionally low compared to the average 40%.

6 (10.300 DKK/m2) Approx. 1.384 € /m2 (Sep 2017)

7 The OHP projects have all been evaluated7 by the Danish Building Research Institute (SBI). Evaluation criteria were, among others, user experiences, energy use, maintenance, construction costs, rent, and vacating frequency / Jensen, J.O. & Stensgaard, A.G., 2016: Evaluering af Almenbolig+, Statens Byggeforskningsinstitut, University of Aalborg