4.1.2 Fjordbyen (Fjord City) scale/networks
Figure 143. Kumu map at a Fjordbyen scale and its relationship back to Kanten/The Edge scale. Fjordbyen is delineated by the transportation infrastructure, the railway lines and the motorway bridge, which has no relationship to the Fjord despite being called “Fjord City” (Kumu, 2020). The map is made with the data from Miljøministeriet (n.d.). (Extracted from Kumu Multiscalar map – SS/SLR & Risk Map mini-node).
Having analyzed the different entrants for the Kanten competition, focusing especially on the two sites that represent the smallest scale of the deep site analysis, I now zoom out to examine the relations that make up Fjordbyen as a whole. The Fjord City/Fjordbyen is a contested site with varying interests and uses. Site visits to the harbourfront and waterfront area (Lystbådehaven) in Figure 144 showcase the numerous building typologies and land uses. The analysis indicates that the boundary between the city and the fjord is largely inaccessible to the public due to the occupation of the industrial harbour[217] with limited blue-green public spaces (commons) (Sørensen et al., 2017). The urban shoreline is predominantly defined by a hard-concrete edge, making the delineation between the city and sea dualistic, sharp and distinct (as shown in Figure 144). It is also mainly paved with asphalt and impermeable concrete surfaces that contribute to the area's gloomy and uninviting mood (Sørensen et al., 2017). The newly developed waterfront area hosts more recreational activities with the kayak club, the marina and a restaurant. Moreover, the area has been developed with high-end residential apartments attracting residents from higher socio-economic backgrounds. These new residential buildings are not necessarily designed to adapt to changing climatic conditions, especially the increasing presence of water.
*NB: The following images are embedded into the above "Atmosphere and Accessibility map" node (scroll down the information window plane in Kumu).
*NB: The blue circle outline has recently opened up to public access due to the residential development in this area – Therefore should be updated from Bad to Medium accessibility.
*NB: See Klimatilpasning - KAMP (n.d.) map for the adopted municipal planning framework that indicates land use of Fjordbyen area
Figure 144. Photos were taken from various site visits to Vejle’s Fjordbyen. The maps are created by site analysis from a master thesis by Sørensen et al. (2017). The site photos were taken by the author on 29/07/20. Image credit of the walking/hiking trails in Vejle: Vejle Municipality (2021).
(Extracted from Kumu Multiscalar map – Atmosphere & Accessibility mini-node).
For Vejle, as shown in Figure 145, one of the worst-case scenarios of SLR by 2100 of 0.9m (1.4m) will matter little, but in a combination of SS scenarios[218], a 20 and 50-year SS scenario by 2050 will inundate Fjordbyen due to water from the fjord and the city centre from rivers bleeding. With heavier cloudbursts, the city would need to make more retention ponds or other ways to store the excess water and make the current impermeable city more like a sponge (i.e. upgrade the rainwater infrastructure, pumps, and the combined sewage, which is planned after 2040 (Vejle Spildevand, n.d.)). Therefore, Vejle Municipality is making many efforts to re-establish the sponge and greening the existing grey corridors by increasing permeability back into the city through various urban development (i.e. Opland Østbyen[219] and Ny Rosborg[220]) and nature restoration projects[221] running in parallel (Vejle Spildevand and Vejle Kommune, n.d.).
*NB: The following images are embedded into the above "SLR/SS risk map" node (scroll down the information window plane in Kumu).
Figure 145. A predicted worst-case scenario of SLR of 0.9m alone will not wreak havoc in Vejle, but in combination with any form of storm surge (i.e. Storm Malik in 2022), the whole of Fjordbyen will be inundated (currently the tipping point of inundation in Vejle is approximately 1.6m+). 2.5m is the minimum protection level set by Vejle Municipality by 2050. The map is made with the data from Miljøministeriet (n.d.), Vejle Klimakort (n.d.) and SCALGO (n.d.).
(Extracted from Kumu Multiscalar map – SS/SLR & Risk Map mini-node)
[217] Due to the long occupation of the industrial harbour area in Fjordbyen for more than a century, the soil is polluted (SKALGO, n.d.). Furthermore, the main channel that leads to Kanten/The Edge’s urban zone is docking space for boats and ships to serve the harbour, which makes this border inaccessible to the public (Vejle Erhvervshavn, 2022). Therefore, this Urban Zone from Kanten/The Edge competition’s intention to implement NbS coincides with the current use as a docking place for ships.
[218] Over the past few hundred years, average floods have been recorded in the city every 4 to 5 years, but the number of floods has increased in the last decade (Vejle Municipality, 2020a).
[219] Opland Østbyen (translated as “The Upland East Town”) is a municipal project to adapt the Østby (East town) quarter in Vejle to flooding (i.e. a 100-year rainfall until the year 2100). The project takes into consideration the catchment of the area to create a recreational “Climate Park” that functions as water basins and visible rainwater channels to hold and direct the excess water out of the area (Vejle Spildevand and Vejle Kommune, n.d.).
[220] A new district in Vejle is in development (at the bottom of the river valley). It plans to be a climate-adapted residential area built as islets on raised elevations surrounded by recreational water reservoirs to store excess water during cloudburst events (AART, 2022).
[221] To see a comprehensive list of all the nature restoration projects in Vejle, see this document: (Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, n.d.).