Social sustainability assessment tools in early ...

Social sustainability assessment tools in early planning of refurbishment and infill development in Finland

Simon le Roux Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Finland

“ In looking out upon the world, we forget that the world is looking at itself “

THE BOOK On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are ALAN WATTS, 1966 Guide to Exctacity NIGEL COATES, 2003

Are empty spaces the best opportunity within cities?

Retro-futuristic overlaid image: Simon Stålenhag

Identify the void within the delerict city:

The mystery of the missing methodology

Sustainability assessment of buildings

Stakeholder Involvement The assessment of stakeholder involvement shall include the following aspects: • the opportunity for interested parties to engage in the decision-making process for the realization of a building.

EN 16309:2014 Sustainability of construction works - Assessment of social performance of buildings Calculation methodology

Targets for social sustainability are loosely defined and tools are still developing… European CEN/TC 350 standards - Sustainability of construction EN 15643-3 framework for assessment of social performance of buildings EN 16309:2014 methods for assessment of social performance on the building level: 1. Accessibility 2. Adaptability Six assessment categories of social 3. Health and comfort performance have an agreed basis for 4. Impacts on the neighbourhood standardized calculation methodology 5. Maintenance and maintainability 6. Safety and security Two assessment categories have 7. Sourcing of materials and services not yet been deemed to be ready for 8. Stakeholder involvement standardization in EN 16309:2014 Methodology is defined for functional and technical characteristics - BUT - Methodology for assessing stakeholder engagement in the decision-making process remains to be defined.

Social aspects in construction works life cycle stages

EN 15643-3 framework for assessment of social performance of buildings

Are empty spaces the best opportunity within cities??

Empty space or ecosystem service?

Are empty spaces the best opportunity within cities??

Release and reorganize – restorative infill process


Speculation on public spaces


mundane Nordic urban landscape

retrofuturistic overlay source: Simon Stålenhag

KLIKK user and business-oriented renovation concept for refurbishment and extension of suburban apartment buildings

Population development in independent Finland - greying Baby Boomers

Finnish age structure of population in 1917 and 2006

Source: http://www.stat.fi/tup/suomi90/joulukuu_en.html

Shrinking demand for new housing production in Finland Population in 2015 Finland 5 460 000 Austria 8 557 000

Image: Factors affecting the amount of new housing construction in 2030 Terttu Vainio, Kaisa Belloni & Liisa Jaakkonen. Espoo 2012. VTT

Values, housing policy and urban regeneration in Finland Private family homes Detached houses

Independence and Self-sufficiency

Private housing companies Home as workers investment Home loan tax deductions

Anti-urbanist Forest city Expansive urbanism

Urban “Close to nature” ideal

Functionalist design in architecture and housing

Traffic design Parking requirements

Good environmental quality for all

Trust in Laws and Standards

Building Code housing norms Industrial standard housing as product

Accessibility in housing

Ideals of Equality Asumisen arvot ja tavoitteet, Sari Puustinen

http://urba.fi/sites/default/files/pdf-artikkelit/YTKB9916_Puustinen_2.pdf

Kouvola

In practice there still remains a great gap between designers and residents… • • • • •

Work outside institutionalized legal processes Informal grassroots participation to explore alternative methodology Stimulate residents’ interactions at early design stages Find methods to share knowledge: feedback, learn and adapt Local engagement with social network on neighbourhood level.

In practice there still remains a great gap between designers and residents… PROJECT GOALS

• Participatory design process to highlight the potential for urban renewal in our Finnish suburbs: release and reorganize • Infill of new housing to promote greater diversity among inhabitants. • Work guided by city representatives. • Designers to learn residents’ points of view, visions and needs. • Stakeholders perspective gave outlines and direction to inform the design process and analyse alternative scenarios • Stakeholders perspective helped to counterbalance the designers’ external perspective and challenge design preconceptions

Process mapping neighbourhood transformation Geographical Information System (GIS) and Building Information Modelling (BIM)

Background analysis: Neighbourhood SWOT


GIS responses: positive / negative / ideas


Synthesis: extend / infill / conserve / connect


Visualize proposals for feedback


Background analysis: Neighbourhood SWOT

GIS responses: positive / negative / ideas

Synthesis: extend / infill / conserve / connect

Visualize proposals for feedback

Multi-channel participation to reach a broad representation of age-groups and backgrounds • By using both traditional and social media it was possible to steer respondents to a project based participative GIS internet based survey: -

face to face on-site Online softGIS participative geographical information system

• Use of new technology and multimedia to reinforce a message of a contemporary approach to planning • Social media and online tools maintain interest with quick responses, ease-of-use and to save time processing answers.

softGIS methodology provides a spatial framework to analyse qualitative and quantitative observations to support the planning of contextually sensitive urban densification

Multiple channels to initiate residents’ participation in design process Channels

1. Announcements

2. Participation

3. Results

softGIS Geographical Information System

WEB MEDIA

Official websites (e.g. municipality) Social media (Facebook page)

→

Communication via Project website Project updates posted to social media Project email address for correspondence

TRADITIONAL MEDIA

Local newspapers Information boards

→

OTHER

Other local media

→

→

Application of participation results in design development

Street interviews

Household notices Face to face communication

Response collection, breakdown and analysis of results

Residents evening events Other events and workshops

Public feedback and publication of results?

(after L.Harno 2013)

Results show different needs of age groups and social impacts of our built environments Respondents’ values are associated with specific locations: • underused places with potential for transformation and regeneration • negative associations • important places to protect and enhance • significant functions and local services

GIS results

Results show different needs of age groups and social impacts of our built environments • Population growth limited in the area, but the neighbourhood is potentially attractive to new residents and young families • Desire to attract new residents into the neighbourhood. • Potential for an influx of aging residents due to existing stock of small apartments in good proximity to a variety of services • New residents necessary to maintain and attract services • Different needs of different population groups created some generation gaps

Results show different needs of age groups and social impacts of our built environments • Senior citizens under-represented - reached by traditional media. • Urgent needs to meet requirements for accessibility - e.g. lifts to be retrofitted, facilities for assisted living and street furniture. • Need for diversified housing types and improved standard of life. • Research and local industry developing new timber construction in a predominantly concrete and red-brick built environment.

Image source: Veli-Pekka Ranta, KLIKK Master’s thesis, Oulu University, 2013

Changing priorities, clarify and (re)define: hierarchy in public realm and intimate landscapes • Positive response to proposals for urban infill and refurbishment • Concluded that it is possible to infill housing and increase density by enhancing the quality of urban environment Infill proposal including mixed and small-scale housing typology in a “modern village” with intimate landscaped courtyards to diversify the supply of apartments

Image source: Leeni Harno, KLIKK Master’s thesis, Aalto University, 2013

Changing priorities, clarify and (re)define: hierarchy in public realm and intimate landscapes Connection between building and street space need improvement • pedestrian safety and accessibility need improvement, giving common spaces priority over parking. Strong response requesting reorganized parking areas and increased efficiency in street parking.

Image source: Veli-Pekka Ranta, KLIKK Master’s thesis, Oulu University, 2013

Hierarchy in public realm and intimate landscapes Residents wished for a clear identity for their built environment: • pleasant courtyards, maintenance of green spaces. Public realm and urban structures in the neighbourhood was seen as being loosely defined: • The designers proposed a hierarchy and specific themes to enhance green spaces, and a new urban park adjacent to a rundown shopping centre. Image source:

Leeni Harno KLIKK Master’s thesis, Aalto University, 2013

Transformation of urban public space

Restoration of urban public space

Conclusions are in more concrete terms than the abstract categories of social performance • Standard Social Performance indicators are relevant and emerged in responses and proposals, but are overlaid and unevenly distributed throughout the area, and findings are associated with specific locations, services and infrastructures. • Assessment standards are specific to the functional unit of buildings, but the overarching principles of sustainability pertain to interrelations which are: • spatial (accessibility, and neighbourhood impacts), • temporal (maintenance, adaptability), • material (life-cycle impacts), • and social (services, health, comfort and safety).

Conclusions are in more concrete terms than the abstract categories of social performance • Principles of sustainability are applicable on different scales, but design decisions are a unique synthesis of observations and trade-offs between priorities in problem solving.

• The creation of new build areas may be visionary, but the process and implementation of urban regeneration is complex and based on the recognition of numerous drivers and interests.

Acknowledgements • KLIKK user and business-oriented renovation concept for refurbishment and extension of suburban apartment buildings

Results based on the thesis work of architecture students Leeni Harno and Ida Lautanala from Aalto University. KLIKK project coordinator: University of Oulu, Finland

Thank You! Simon le Roux Senior Project Researcher Architect SAFA [email protected] Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture Department of Architecture, Chair of Wood Construction