ContinentaleCascades. On a dense garden city
location: Kassel, Germanyyear: 2023program:Densification and climate adaptation of a post-war neighbourhoodstatus:Open competitioncollaborations:Federico Bertagna (structural engineer)
Gregory Bianchi (sustainability engineer)
Wolfsanger, a post-war residential neighborhood on the border of
Kassel, is poised for expansion into the neighboring countryside. This
development offers a chance to reconfigure its layout to boost climate
resilience and enrich communal areas. Leveraging the plot's gentle
slope, we have devised a new urban plan centered on a composition with transversal
axes. These axes host cascades that have the potential to both retain stormwater and function as sports facilities and playgrounds when dry. New buildings,
including several towers and distinct linear blocks, are strategically
interspersed among existing structures. The linear blocks feature a
hybrid structure of wood and concrete and are raised on pilotis to enhance
ventilation and reduce soil sealing. Nestled between these axes, linear
parks with natural watercourses are designed to enhance the
neighborhood’s climatic resilience and provide vibrant communal spaces
for residents.
Continentale
Cascades. On a dense garden city
location: Kassel, Germanyyear: 2023program:Densification and climate adaptation
of a post-war neighbourhoodstatus:Open competitioncollaborations:Federico Bertagna (structural engineer)
Gregory Bianchi (sustainability engineer)
Wolfsanger, a post-war residential neighborhood on the border of
Kassel, is poised for expansion into the neighboring countryside. This
development offers a chance to reconfigure its layout to boost climate
resilience and enrich communal areas. Leveraging the plot's gentle
slope, we have devised a new urban plan centered on a composition with transversal
axes. These axes host cascades that have the potential to both retain stormwater and function as sports facilities and playgrounds when dry. New buildings,
including several towers and distinct linear blocks, are strategically
interspersed among existing structures. The linear blocks feature a
hybrid structure of wood and concrete and are raised on pilotis to enhance
ventilation and reduce soil sealing. Nestled between these axes, linear
parks with natural watercourses are designed to enhance the
neighborhood’s climatic resilience and provide vibrant communal spaces
for residents.