HIMMERLAND RENOVATION
HOUSE FEATURE
ARCHITECTS
C.F MOLLER
WWW.CFMOLLER.COM
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
C.F MOLLER LANDSCAPE
PHOTO
MARK HADDEN
WWW.MARKHADDEN.CO.UK
pre-fabricated units which are
simply hoisted in place.
A shared community activity
building, which meets the
strict requirements of the
Danish low-energy class
2020, is located centrally as
a natural gathering point for
all of Himmerland Housing
Association’s residents in the
area.
ALL-ROUND
TRANSFORMATION
The Departments 19 and 22
of the housing estate were
typical examples of public
housing dating from the 1970s.
On arrival at the complex, the
outdoor areas were deserted.
There were desolate and
anonymous central car parks
and monotonous vegetation in
the shape of open lawns and
uniform shrubs and bushes.
The complex turned its
back on the local area and
each individual residential
unit turned in on itself. The
recreational areas were
sporadic, fragmented and their
identity unclear. The areas in
35
front of the residential units
were public right up to the
facades, and no-one took
ownership of these areas.
The existing concrete façades
were monotonous, sad and
dilapidated. Small windows and
ponderous balconies resulted
in dark residential units and
an unwelcoming appearance.
Flats were draughty, and the
structure showed severe heat
loss in critical areas.
The renovation project has
transformed this anonymous
residential area into a vibrant,
socially sustainably district,
in which landscape elements
ma e it eas t find
r a
and open front gardens create
individual identity for this
location.
The open front gardens
encourage residents to take
ownership of the spaces
between the houses and add a
sense of security in the public
spaces. Similarly, the former
closed end-walls have been
revitalized, with windows and
balconies overlooking more of
the area.