Critters among us
How an architectural strategy can encourage a more balance coexistence between species, while also help develop and maintain the ecological values of a green corridor in Umeå
Master Thesis Project Spring 2020 Karin Esberg
Studio 13 Course:
5AR522 Words:
4603 Tutors:
Sara Thor Amalia Katopodis
Tom Dobson Andrew Belfield
Chapter 1
1.1 Glossary……….…..….
1.2 Point of departure and an introduction to the consequences of anthropocentric architecture……….
1.3 Thesis questions………..….
1.4 Methodology………..
Chapter 2
The challenges of urban biodiversity and habitat fragmentation………
2.1 Conservation - of what?……….…
2.2 Urban context and fragmentation………
2.3 Context of Umeå………..…
Chapter 3
Strategies of designing for biodiversity on multiple scales………
3.1 Urban planning and how to cross the road………..………
3.2 Smaller intervention - expanding the corridor……….………
3.3 Taking responsibility for the damage………
Chapter 4
Manifesto for coexistence-based design………..……….……….……
Chapter 5
The proposal……….……….………
5.1 An overpass over ringleden……….………
5.2 Smaller interventions attached to existing buildings………
5.3 A rehabilitation centre………
Chapter 6
Conclusions………..
List of references………
3 4 4 4
5 5 6 7
11 11 12 12
14
15 15 17 19
20 21
1.1 Glossary
anthropocentric - human-centred. Philosophical viewpoint that humankind is separate from and supe- rior to nature. 1
biodiversity - variety of species found in a place or the total variety of species in the world. 2
built environment - structures, features and facilities made by humans which humans inhabit in various ways. 3
coexistence - the state of existence in the same place at the same time. 4
coniferous forest - vegetation mainly consisting of cone-bearing needle-leaved or scale-leaved trees such as pine or spruce. 5
critter - a living creature. 6
green corridor - piece of land that connects habitats that has been fragmented by human activities. 7 urban landscape - landscape in or relating to a city or town. 8
Oxford University Press. Anthropocentric. 2019. lexico.com. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/anthropocentric (Accessed
1
2020-04-19)
Pimm, Stuart L. Biodiversity. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2019. https://www.britannica.com/science/biodiversity (Accessed 2020-04-20)
2
Oxford University Press. Built Environment. 2019. lexico.com. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/built_environment (Accessed
3
2020-04-19)
Oxford University Press. Coexistence. 2019. lexico.com. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/coexistence (Accessed 2020-04-22)
4
Coniferous forest. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2019. https://www.britannica.com/science/coniferous-forest (Accessed 2020-04-20)
5
Oxford University Press. Critter. 2019. lexico.com. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/critter (Accessed 2020-04-20)
6
Wikipedia contributors. Wildlife Corridor. 2020. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wild
7 -
life_corridor&oldid=951473123 (Accessed 2020-04-23)
Oxford University Press. Urban. 2019. lexico.com. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/urban (Accessed 2020-04-20)
8
1.2 Point of departure and an introduction to the consequences of anthropocentric architecture The previous essay from last semester discussed the effects that the built environment and urbanisation have on all species, and how respecting these species from both ecological and empathetic aspects are of great importance. An issue that was raised was that having an anthropocentric view has a negative effect on non-human species and biodiversity, and how new ways of understanding how architecture, humans and other species are connected is needed where humans are not in the centre. Everything we do has consequences for more than ourselves - this is important to take into consideration as we design and plan the built environment. 9
With the understanding from last terms essay, the work this semester focuses on a larger picture and how one can tackle the issues raised on more than one scale. We know that what we build has conse- quences - that architecture plays a big part in the decline of biodiversity throughout the world, which leads to an unbalanced state of coexistence between species. The question is what we can do about it 10 in the areas where buildings are inevitable - such as urban and semi-urban areas. This thesis situates itself in Umeå, which is a city in Västerbotten County, and explores how the issues raised takes form there and what potential architectural strategies can be used to tackle them.
1.2 Thesis questions
How can planning on different scales, while at the same time considering multiple species habitats, lead to a more balanced coexistence? How can an architectural strategy help develop and maintain the ecological values of a green corridor in Umeå?
1.3 Methodology
The methods used writing this thesis was desk-based research, mainly literature studies but also some websites The websites used are relevant due to them being about specific municipalities, associations or projects, and are strengthened by the literature that addresses the aspects in question. The keywords that were used to find relevant literature was urban ecology, urban biodiversity, wildlife conservation and wildlife rehabilitation.
The literature looked at was a combination between ecology (with a focus on wildlife and/or biodiversi- ty conservation) and sources touching on ecosystem services and how it can be applied on architecture and urban planning. It was relevant to include sources from both fields, as sources that focuses on ar- chitecture and urban planning often tend to exclude important ecological and conservational aspects.
Appendix A
9
Appendix A
10
Chapter 2
The challenges of urban biodiversity and habitat fragmentation
2.1 Conservation - of what?
Within the field of urban planning and architecture there is an issue regarding conservational strategies which almost entirely apply to already threatened species - which, while still of great importance, leaves out the broader picture. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, which is public agency in Sweden that is responsible for environmental issues , has action programs for species in Sweden that 11 are described as threatened. While this type of strategy can help conservation to be more effective for 12 those specific species, preventative actions as well as a broader focus on more species needs to be thought of in city planning and architecture. The threatened species are not always the ones that cross our paths, get hit by cars or reside in our backyards looking for food. 13
2.2 Urban context and fragmentation
Urban and semi-urban areas are historically planned and designed for exclusively human activities, 14 and yet, there are more species than humans that use these spaces . Today, more than half of the global 15 human population live in urban areas, and this number is constantly growing. Urban landscapes can 16 be looked at as a mosaic of human-specific typologies (such as residential, commercial and industrial buildings) intertwined with green areas. Up until fairly recently, public green areas within the urban 17 landscape often meant parks and other controlled types of nature. For humans, it has been established that nature and biodiverse areas have positive effects on their well being, and many cities have de- veloped various green strategies to cater to this. Conservational strategies are implemented more and 18 more, and this often means conserving and reconstructing habitats based on vegetation, and this type 19 of conservational strategy often has a positive effect on general biodiversity levels if done correctly. A well-known example of a green initiative is the High Line in New York.
The abandoned rail line was transformed into a public park with garden zones and the design was in- spired by the landscape that previously grew wild on the site (see Image 1). The gardens are continu20 - ously cared for, and the flowers were chosen to help pollinating species, as well as being a welcoming
Naturvårdsverket. About the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. 2019. http://www.swedishepa.se/About-us/ (Accessed
11
2020-03-02)
Naturvårdsverket. Åtgärdsprogram för hotade arter och naturtyper. 2019. https://www.naturvardsverket.se/Miljoarbete-i-samhallet/
12
Miljoarbete-i-Sverige/Uppdelat-efter-omrade/Naturvard/Atgardsprogram-for-hotade-arter/ (Accessed 2020-02-06)
Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet. Nyhetsbrev februari 2020. 2020. https://www.slu.se/institutioner/vilt-fisk-miljo/vildagrannar/nyhets
13 -
brev-4/ (Accessed 2020-04-21)
Urban Planning. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2019. https://www.britannica.com/topic/urban-planning#ref10804 (Accessed 2020-04-22)
14
Beardsley, John (ed.), A Felson. Designing Wildlife Habitat. Washington D.C, Dumbarton Oaks, 2013. pp.223
15
de Silveria, Clarissa. A Systemic Approach for Integrative Design of Buildings and Landscapes: Towards Ecosystem Services Provision in
16
Urban Areas. PhD diss., The Pennsylvania State University, 2018. pp.1.
McCleery, Robert A, C. Moorman, N. Peterson. Urban Wildlife Conservation: Theory and Practice. Springer, 2014. pp.1
17
Naturvårdsverket. Vad är ekosystemtjänster?. 2019. https://www.naturvardsverket.se/Miljoarbete-i-samhallet/Miljoarbete-i-Sverige/
18
Uppdelat-efter-omrade/Ekosystemtjanster/Vad-ar-ekosystemtjanster/ (Accessed 2020-02-06)
Faeth, Stanley & Bang, Christofer & Saari, Susanna. Urban biodiversity: Patterns and mechanisms. Annals of the New York Academy
19
of Sciences, 2011: 70. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05925.x.
Friends of the High Line. Design. https://www.thehighline.org/design/ (Accessed 2020-04-01)
20
environment for some bird species. This is a project that was planned for humans, and adapted to pol21 - linators and birds, successfully raising the biodiversity in the city. But this is still a fragmented piece of habitat in the middle of a concrete landscape, meaning that many songbirds and other species would not be able to live there despite the habitat being the correct one. 22
Ecosystems are not as simple as creating a patch of biodiverse habitat - there are still the questions of connectivity to these patches, and how the surrounding environment looks. When patches such as parks or other smaller green areas, as well as larger areas of nature, are cut off from each other, it is cal- led habitat fragmentation. Fragmentation is a large issue when it comes to the loss of urban biodiversity as it creates isolated patches that hinder movements between these. More often than not, trafficked 23 roads are the main causes for this - meaning that it not only divides the green area and limits the habi- tats for some species, but causes an actual threat to the lives of many. 24
With limited migration between patches (and patches that are not adequate in size), smaller and more extinct-prone, local communities are supported instead of a larger group. For plants to migrate and 25 spread, various other species need to be able to move around in the area. For many critter species, urb- an green areas play the role of creating safe environments for living in and moving through.
Friends of the High Line. Sustainable gardens project. https://www.thehighline.org/sustainable-gardens-project/ (Accessed 2020-04-
21
01)
Eck, Erin. 2017. Gardening in the Sky: What Makes Good Habitat for Humans? thehighline.org/blog
22
https://www.thehighline.org/blog/2017/02/14/gardening-in-the-sky-what-makes-good-habitat-for-humans/ (Accessed 2020-04-01) Faeth, Stanley & Bang, Christofer & Saari, Susanna. Urban biodiversity: Patterns and mechanisms. Annals of the New York Academy
23
of Sciences, 2011: 24. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05925.x.
Beckman, Jon P. Safe Passages : Highways, Wildlife, and Habitat Connectivity. Island Press, 2010. pp.6
24
Anderson, AB, & CN Jenkins, Applying Nature's Design : Corridors as a Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation. New York, New
25
York : Columbia University Press, 2006. pp. 2
Image 1
A bench on the High line that is de- signed to give the impression of be- ing overgrown by wildflowers and
grass
2.3 Context of Umeå
Umeå has, despite a massive expansion throughout the last decades, been able to spare many green are- as. The city holds a combination of planted parks and conserved pieces of natural forests and is sur26 27 - rounded by large forest landscapes, in which multiple types of critters reside. Some of these reside in the city, and some move through it - either way, local species have found ways to live within and around the urban context in various ways. Despite of this, conflicts do happen - according to Natio28 - nella Viltolyckrådet, 370 wildlife vehicle accidents occurred in Umeå Kommun between January 2019 and March 2020. 29
The site that this project focuses on is a forest called Lilljansskogen and its surrounding built environ- ment. The area has changed during the last 50 years, and the forested parts have shrunk as the built en- vironment has grown, which can be studied in Image 2 and 3. Today, the areas surrounding the forest consist of residential buildings and the Umeå University campus.
Lilljansskogen works as a green corridor that connects two larger green areas - the forest Stadsliden (as well as the large park called Mariehemsängarna) and Nydala (Nydala lake and surrounding forest). In Image 3, Stadsliden is located in the top left, and Nydala in the middle right side.
Enetjärn, A, & Umeå kommun . Miljökontoret, Guiden till Umeås natur 1999. Umeå : Miljökontoret, Umeå kommun, 1999. pp.104
26
Enetjärn, A, & Umeå kommun . Samhällsbyggnadskontoret, Umeå Stadsnatur 2000. Umeå : Samhällsbyggnadskontoret, Umeå kom
27 -
mun, 2003. pp.8-18
Enetjärn, A, & Umeå kommun . Samhällsbyggnadskontoret, Umeå Stadsnatur 2000. Umeå : Samhällsbyggnadskontoret, Umeå kom
28 -
mun, 2003. pp.45
Nationella Viltolycksrådet. Här händer viltolyckorna där du bor. https://www.viltolycka.se/statistik/har-hander-viltolyckorna/ (Ac
29 -
cessed 2020-04-20)
Image 2 Lilljansskogen 1955-1967
Image 3 Lilljansskogen 2019 This image of Lilljansskogen
have been removed in this pub- lication due to copyright rea-
sons
This image of Lilljansskogen have been removed in this pub- lication due to copyright rea-
sons
Image 4
Lilljansskogen is a telling example of a semi-urban green corridor where fragmentation due to vehicle roads has happened. A green corridor that connects two larger forests has been kept, and is intended to stay, mainly intact to preserve the ecological values that it has. Despite this, trafficked roads (some 30 highly trafficked) are passing through the corridor, causing issues for the critters that need the site for moving. The corridor with surrounding environments can be studied in Figure 1, and the corridor 31 being fragmented by roads in Figure 2. The red arrows show where roads cut through the landscape, and the largest of the arrows is the most heavily trafficked road on the site which is part of Ringleden.
Ringleden is a ring road project that began in 1997, and the part that goes through the site was finished in 2012. This two-lane road, which also is part of the European route E12, can be studied in Image 4 32 on page 8.
Stadsliden, Nydala and the corridor offer diverse types of environments, and the potential to habitat many species. See Figure 3 on page 10 for species that have been seen or are known to use the area.
While some species are known to use the corridor as an important passage (for example, roe deer, hazel grouses, hares and foxes) , others are more unusual sights that, even though they might not use the 33 corridor as much as previous examples, can find the appropriate habitats on the site (for example, moo- se and bats). 34
Umeå Kommun. Planprogram för Lilljansberget och del av campusområdet. https://umea.se/umeakommun/kommunochpolitik/
30
planerochstyrdokument/utvecklingochplanering/stadsplaneringochbyggande/aktuelltidittomrade/universitetsochsjukhusomradet/
planprogramforlilljansbergetochdelavcampusomradet.4.6e56e1f514f42fbe6673b6cc.html (Accessed 2020-04-15)
Enetjärn Natur AB. Inventering av Lilljansskogen med fokus på naturvärden och områdets nyttjande, nu och i framtiden. 2015. pp.15
31
Umeå Kommun. 2019. Färdigställa Ringleden. https://www.umea.se/umeakommun/byggaboochmiljo/bullerochluftkvalitet/luften
32 -
utomhus/atgardsprogramforrenareluft/fardigstallaringleden.4.50066d59159c01236ea18a2d.html (Accessed 2020-04-15) Enetjärn Natur AB. Inventering av Lilljansskogen med fokus på naturvärden och områdets nyttjande, nu och i framtiden. 2015.
33
Enetjärn, A, & Umeå kommun . Samhällsbyggnadskontoret, Umeå Stadsnatur 2000. Umeå : Samhällsbyggnadskotnoretontoret, Umeå
34
kommun, 2003. pp.8
Figure 1 Figure 2
Figure 3
Chapter 3
Strategies - designing for biodiversity on multiple scales
3.1 Urban planning and how to cross the road
A fairly common solution to the issues of habitat fragmentation is habitat connectivity - or what is sometimes called green corridors. The definition of green corridors can vary, but a broad and practical definition is that they are “spaces in which connectivity between species, ecosystems, and ecological pro- cesses is maintained or restored at various scales”. This definition is especially useful when it pertains to 35 urban and semi-urban landscapes, as backyards can be as much of a corridor as a planted landscape.
Larger green corridors, such as existing pieces of forest (the category that Lilljansskogen is in), can be of great importance for many land-living species in their movement in urban and semi-urban areas . 36 But as discussed earlier, fragmentation is a large issue and green corridors are no exception to this - meaning that these corridors can be fragmented despite being part of one solution, and still be in need of other solutions to add habitat connectivity.
A solution to this is the use of wildlife crossing of various kinds to connect the fragmented pieces of land - to expand the corridor. Different types of species tend to prefer different types of passages - for example, roe deer and moose seem to like overpasses while smaller species like hedgehogs or hares prefer underpasses. The type of layout and size of the crossing often correlates with the role in the 37 food chain that the species in question have - those who need to be wary of predators require more safety. They also have different types of habitat requirements, which not always conveys to the type of habitat they usually dwell in. A good example is moose - they are a large, forest-dwelling mammal that needs a clear line of sight as they cross the road to feel safe. Roe deer, that are a bit more varied in the type of habitat they dwell in, are the same. Smaller mammals such as hedgehogs and hares need more 38 vegetation due to the same reason as they seem to prefer underpasses - to feel safe and be able to hide from predators. Something that seems to be the same for almost any critter is that the sight of human 39 activity should be avoided - meaning that multiple-use bridges should only be incorporated if needed. 40 If there is a possibility to divide the crossing points between humans and non-humans, this should be done to make sure all feel safe to cross the road in appropriate places rather than using a more danger- ous route - or not crossing at all.
3.2 Smaller interventions - expanding the corridor
While corridors and crossings are a large part of how city planning can be used to aid biodiversity through wildlife conservation, it does not include the built environment - which is a large part of the urban landscape. By only using these types of solutions, we as humans once again create a type of divi- sion between our artificial creations (for example, objects, buildings, our societal standards) and eco- systems. Thinking this way is, according to Timothy Morton in The Ecological Thought (which is a book that was analysed in Appendix A - The Bats Next Door), essential if we are to truly care for our local ecological systems. Based on the definition of green corridors earlier mentioned, one could argue that 41 buildings that offer additional habitat(s) can be part of a corridor. In an article published in Architectu-
Anderson, AB, & CN Jenkins, Applying Nature's Design : Corridors as a Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation. New York, New
35
York : Columbia University Press, 2006. pp.4
Mathewson, HA, & ML Morrison, Wildlife Habitat Conservation : Concepts, Challenges, and Solutions. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins
36
University Press, 2015. pp.87
Adelsköld, Tove & Jakobi, Marie. Effektiv utformning av ekodukter och faunabroar. Trafikverket. 2012. pp.12
37
Bates, A, M Chisholm, D Cooper, D Vriend. Wildlife Passage Engineering Design Guidelines. City of Edmonton, Office of Natural
38
Areas. 2010. Chapter 4. pp.7-8 Ibid. Chapter 4. pp.9
39
Ibid. Chapter 4. pp.33
40
Appendix A
41
ral Design, the suggestion is raised to use biodiversity targets while designing to make sure to go beyond “just” greening of structures. The authors mean that we need to incorporate viable habitats in 42 the design, instead of just including green landscape in and around the structures. While some speci43 - es might use buildings “as they are” (such as bats in old churches) , by following the suggestions of 44 having biodiversity targets, architects can help broaden the types of species that may inhabit the structures.
Animal Aided Design (AAD) is another method in which the same ideas of having target species are used - with a focus in integrating them in the design of urban spaces. The idea is that by including 45 other species and their life cycles in early stages of the design process, not only are the needs of the chosen species fulfilled, but these can also inspire the design. In an article, one of the founders of AAD stated that “People hang up nest boxes and wonder why they’re empty. It’s because everything else is miss- ing. Viable habitats must simultaneously include spaces for breeding, sources of food, places to nest, and a quantifiable list of other species-specific essentials.” 46
Ways to apply these ideas to architecture is to integrate houses for birds and bats into the buildings, either in the design or attach onto existing buildings. These types of interventions are especially im- portant for critters that have adapted to sharing our structures. But as mentioned earlier, it is import47 - ant to consider other aspects of a species life cycle - as well as connectivity to and from the habitat. A way to do this is through green roofs and walls. Green, or living, roofs and walls are often talked about for their positive sustainability effects as they can help reduce the risk of flooding and regulation of temperatures in a building. But by considering local flora and fauna in the design, these architectural 48 elements can support a range of small critter types such as invertebrates, which in turn supports feed- ing opportunities for birds and bats. 49
3.3 Taking responsibility for the damage
Expanding a green corridor in various ways and helping species that need assistance to cross highly trafficked roads can be helpful when it comes to critter diversity and survival. But there are instances when critters might need our assistance even more - when they have contracted an injury that they on their own would not be able to survive. But should we intervene? A quote from the book Through An- imals' Eyes : True Stories from a Wildlife Sanctuary describes a way that the author, who has been a wildlife rehabilitation for over 20 years, thinks:
“Considering the alternative these animals face, I believe it is vitally important for us to rescue every wild animal we can. Faced with the continuing onslaught of relentless human encroachment-bulldozers, devel- opment, traffic, poisons, traps-wild animals don't have an easy life. In most cases, we're fortunate enough to be able to intervene in time.” 50
Yeang, K., & Wells, M. (2010). Biodiversity targets as the basis for green design. Architectural Design, 80(2), pp.130
42
Ibid. Pp.133
43
Appendix A
44
Weisser, Wolfgang W. and Thomas E. Hauck. ANIMAL-AIDED DESIGN – using a species’ life-cycle to improve open space planning
45
and conservation in cities and elsewhere. 2017. DOI:10.1101/150359
Berg, Nate. Creature Comforts. Landscape architecture magazine. June 2019. https://landscapearchitecturemagazine.org/
46
2019/06/11/creature-comforts/#more-17880 (Accessed 2020-03-01) Ibid. pp.1
47
Gunnel, K, C Williams, B Murphy. Designing for Biodiversity: A technical guide for new and existing buildings. RIBA Publishing,
48
2013 pp.99 Ibid. pp.98
49
Cuny, LM, Through Animal's Eyes : True Stories from a Wildlife Sanctuary. College Station, College Station : University of North Texas
50
Press, 2000. pp.1
She means that in cases where human activity is the cause of the injury, we have a responsibility to do what we can to save critters that have been affected. Nordens Viltrehabilitering, which is a non-profit association that works as a network of rehabilitators around Sweden, explains on their website that 51 wildlife rehabilitation is not about going into a forest and searching for injured critters - it is about taking care of the critters and giving them a second chance when humans have affected their life condi- tions. 52
When it comes to the design of spaces for wildlife rehabilitation, there are many things to consider.
They are not like regular veterinary clinics as wild critters are not used to humans or being indoors, and if not handled correctly, the experience can be very stressful for them. They have all different types of 53 habitat preferences and types of spaces that they prefer to minimise this stress. The Minimum Standards For Wildlife Rehabilitation states that “Wildlife rehabilitators should be able to provide enclosures or cages of appropriate size made from appropriate materials that contain appropriate furnishings for all ages of all species that they commonly treat” , and that all critters have various needs based on their medical 54 status. The three “steps” that they present are restricted activity/mobility, limited activity/mobility, and 55 unlimited activity/mobility. Not all individuals need all three before being released, but it is important 56 to have three types of spaces for different potential species that may need to be housed there temporar- ily. 57
In Sweden, Wildlife Rehabilitation centres are almost always run as non-profit small organisations, and the closest rehabilitation centre in Västerbotten county is located in Lycksele which is located approx- imately 115 km from Umeå. 58
Nordens Viltrehabilitering. Om Nordens Viltrehabilitering. http://viltrehab.se/omnvr/ (Accessed 2020-04-20)
51
Nordens Viltrehabilitering. Rehabilitering. https://viltrehab.se/viltkliniken/rehabilitering/ (Accessed 2020-04-20)
52
Miller, E.A., editor. Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, 4th edition. National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, St.
53
Cloud, MN. 2012. pp.28 Ibid. pp.25
54
Ibid. pp.26
55
Ibid. pp.27-28
56
Ibid. pp.26
57
KFV: Riksförbunds. Rehabiliterare (Västerbotten). http://www.kfv-riks.se/default.asp?iID=GFMIIM (Accessed 2020-04-20)
58
Chapter 4
Manifesto for coexistence-based design
Based on the aspects of fragmentation, green corridors, habitat connectivity, and rehabilitation, I wrote a small manifesto that sums up key aspects that architects and urban planners should consider when it comes to the design of future urban landscapes and buildings:
1. Support what is already there
Take into consideration the various types of local flora and fauna, and question if it is necessary to intervene with a building close to the species that dwell there. If it is necessary to intervene on the site, understand how the design of what is being built can replace the habitats being destroyed or minimise the damage.
2. Work against fragmentation
There are ways to expand green corridors and work against fragmentation of green areas through incorporating viable habitats in and around the architecture in various ways, based on the point mentioned above.
3. Take responsibility
While architects and planners themselves would not be the ones founding a facility like this, lear- ning about how they should be designing these and the ideas that come from this can be applied on other types of buildings.
Chapter 5 The proposal
The proposal is to use the site of Lilljansskogen to expand the green corridor through architectural in- terventions with the intention to encourage a more balanced coexistence. As discussed earlier, a green corridor can include buildings and other built environment to create more habitats for various types of species (see Figure 7 for the types of species that can be found). Some species are known users while some have the potential to use the site - either way, these are the users which defined the design of the following proposal.
The strategy consists of following interventions:
5.1 An overpass over Ringleden
To respond to the issues with habitat fragmentation and the dangers that critters face as they must cross roads, part of the proposal is an overpass for these species. There are multiple roads that cuts through the green corridor, but as mentioned earlier in chapter 2.3, the most heavily trafficked one is part of Ringleden. The intention with this overpass was to create a safe crossing point for the critters that use and need the site for circulation and movement. Usually, the length and width of an overpass is defined based on the species intended to use it. I made the decision to base the width of this overpass on a 59 report by Miljöförvaltningen Stockholms Stad that was made as a summary of evaluations and investiga- tions of successful overpasses. The dimensions and layout of the overpass can be studied in Figure 4 60 on page 16.
The design was based on the fact that different species need different types of vegetation and design to feel safe to cross. As seen in Figure 5 on page 16, the vegetation starts off as higher and more dense on the sides of the bridge, and becomes less dense and lower towards the middle. This is due to the prefer- ences discussed earlier in chapter 3.1 - some species such as moose and roe deer need a clear sight across the bridge, and smaller mammals need more dense vegetation to be able to hide as they cross.
The more dense vegetation on the sides also functions as a sound barrier from the vehicle road. The coniferous forest that exist on both sides of the road are expanded onto the bridge, to give the critters the feeling that the overpass is an expansion of the landscape, which the hourglass shape of the bridge also contributes to.
Ekologigruppen AB. Urbana eko-/sociodukter - utredning av funktion, utformning och effekter. Miljöförvaltningen Stockholm
59
Stad. 2017. pp.10 Ibid. pp.3
60
Figure 3 Site plan of the overpass
Figure 4
Cross section of the overpass
5.2 Smaller interventions attached to existing buildings
To expand the corridor, buildings surrounding Lilljansskogen was studied. As mentioned earlier, most of the surrounding buildings consists of residential buildings, which is what was decided to focus on.
Looking at Figure 3 on page 10, the species that prefer buildings are mainly bats and common swifts.
Bats are fairly picky when it comes to their roosting sites, and they use different types of roosts depen- ding on the cycle of the year. A few rules of thumb is that they need to have a stable micro-climate, be dark, free from too much disturbance - and close to a water source. Common swifts, which is a mi61 - grating bird species, prefer roosting spaces at least 5 metres above ground that are out of direct sun62 - light as they are sensitive to overheating. 63
The specific buildings where interventions were proposed for these critters can be seen in Figure 5.
They were picked based on the surrounding environments that follows the rules stated previously, whi- le at the same time the preferred cardinal direction that vary throughout the year was taken into consi- deration. Both bats and common swifts have adapted to humans and our built environment and be64 - gan being more or less dependent on buildings for roosting sites. 65
Gunnel, K, C Williams, B Murphy. Designing for Biodiversity: A technical guide for new and existing buildings. RIBA Publishing,
61
2013 pp.3
Artfakta. Tornseglare. https://artfakta.se/artbestamning/taxon/apus-apus-102976 (Accessed 2020-03-21)
62
Gunnel, K, C Williams, B Murphy. Designing for Biodiversity: A technical guide for new and existing buildings. RIBA Publishing,
63
2013 pp.25 Ibid. pp.4
64
Appendix A
65
Figure 5
[Figure of chosen buildings for 5.2]
This image of chosen buildings for 5.2 have been removed in this publication due to copy-
right reasons
Figure 6
[Section of Olofsdal with the reha- bilitation centre]
Figure 7
[Illustration of the wildlife rehabili- tation centre]
5.3 A wildlife rehabilitation centre
Even though the overpass mentioned earlier would help minimise the roadkill around the site of Lill- jansskogen and make sure the green corridor is kept intact, Umeå Municipality is large and there are many places in and around the city where accidents happen. As mentioned in chapter 2.3, road acci- dents happen in and around Umeå. These are not the only accidents that can happen - small and large species can be orphaned or hurt and be in need of rehabilitation before being set out into the wild again. By situating a rehabilitation centre in Umeå, my intention is that the public responsibility would be strengthened when it comes to local critters.
Because this part of the project will entail buildings, it is important that some of the destroyed habitats are to be replaced in various ways. As discussed earlier in chapter 2.2, a way that this can be done is by incorporating living roofs and walls in new buildings. This part of the project is situated on a slope in a small area called Olofsdal that is part of the green corridor, which can be studied in Figure 6 on page 18. Olofsdal is currently a construction site where all previous buildings, which were constructed in the 1960’s, have been demolished to make place for new development. The current municipal plan for the 66 area are residential buildings, but by reserving a large area for wildlife rehabilitation, the focus is shif67 - ted from human needs to non-human critter needs - which is the focus of this project.
As discussed in the chapter 3.2, a wildlife rehabilitation centre needs different spaces for different spe- cies depending on their medical need. For the design, the decision was made to make use of the aspects discussed in chapter 3.3 - to adapt the building to potential surrounding critters as well as the needs of the critters being rehabilitated. See Figure 7 on page 18 for the design of the building.
All three parts of the project follows the three parts of the manifesto in various ways. They support what is already there through being adapted to the local flora and fauna as well as giving back pieces of habit- at where possible. They work against fragmentation by not creating any new boundaries, but rather ex- pands the corridor in various ways. They lastly take responsibility through creating a safe crossing point, offer another chance for those who have been injured, and supporting building-dependent species with appropriate roosting sites.
Planprogram för Olofsdal inom Marieområdet. Umeå Kommun. 2012. pp.13
66
Umeå Kommun. Olofsdal. https://www.umea.se/umeakommun/byggaboochmiljo/markexploatering/markforflerbostadshus/olofs
67 -
dal.4.2e2a679313f614d3c2b729a.html (Accessed 2020-04-20)
Chapter 6 Conclusions
One research question for this project was how can planning on different scales, while at the same time considering multiple species, lead to a balanced coexistence? This question is relevant as all human activity, which architecture is a large part of, have and will inevitably affect all living things around us.
The three scales used to answer the question was an infrastructural scale (adding an overpass to con- nect pieces of a green corridor), the scale of a new building (where several species was considered both in the use and the design), and the scale of new habitats for critters to inhabit (through small interven- tions on the existing surrounding environment). All three scales work towards rather than against as- sisting species that either currently use or have the potential to use the site, and therefor creating a more balanced coexistence.
The second research question was how an architectural strategy can help develop and maintain the eco- logical values of a green corridor in Umeå? The ecological values of Lilljansskogen as a green corridor has been confirmed by Umeå municipality through their planning processes for the areas surrounding it - and yet keep exploiting the area so that the corridor becomes smaller and smaller, as seen in Images 2 and 3 on page 7. By using the architectural strategy that was proposed for this project, parts of the corridor would be expanded and the public knowledge of the importance of the corridor would be raised.
When it comes to biodiversity and the lives of critters, the most ideal solution would be to never build or intervene anywhere - but this is not possible, especially in urban and semi-urban areas. When it comes to these aspects, the problem seems to be not that the issues are ignored, but the lack of early involvement of biodiversity in the planning process. As discussed in this thesis, it is important to look at the larger picture (such as habitat connectivity) if one is to include critter habitats in the design.
While the proposal presented in this thesis would help develop and maintain the ecological values of one green corridor, as well as encourage a more balanced coexistence, these problems and trends of habitat fragmentation are not isolated to a green corridor in Umeå - these issues exists all around the world. Knowledge, communication between fields, and a less anthropocentric view on urban planning architecture is needed in an early stage and on several scales if this trend is to be broken.
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