Neighborhood Centre Jemtelandsgade
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
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Project Description
Often called one of the most beautiful spaces in Copenhagen, the Neighborhood Centre of Jemtelandsgade is living proof that nothing is ore attractive than the combination between beauty and brains. Emptying and old industrial building from 1880, an unconventional arrival point for the new neighborhood centre added an interpretation of a treehouse in the shape of an assembly hall balancing on crooked concrete columns. Today, it is the centre of gravity for local democracy and networks.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
The Neighborhood Centre in Jemtelandsgade is located in one of Copenhagens former industrial buildings from 1880. The project was a part of the neighborhood renewal plan and is done on a extremely low budget. It is however not your garden-varity neighborhood centre. Housing everything from a local library and café over conferences and debates to concerts and children's theatre it is now the centre of gravity for local democracy and networks. The main ai of the conversion was to create a proper connection between the building's many different activities while ensuring an openness an accessibility for the public. The structural changes to the existing building consists primarily of the partial removal of the existing floor decks in order to create a new triple-high foyer space running lengthways of the building. The foyer houses the library leading to a café. The rest of the building was renovated as simple as possible to keep the robust industrial expression.
An addition hall was added to the building structure to give room for events. The addition was conceived as a "children's tree house" on trunks of oblique concrete columns. It houses a double high hall and lies as a freestanding glass walled structure, slightly between the two tall neighboring buildings, which are covered with different kinds of ivy. The supporting structure consists of an exposed framework of plywood covered with thermal glazing panels in pine frames - it appears like an oversized shelving system and defines the borders of space while creating a soft transition between the interior and the exterior. The house is lifted from the street, creating a safe space for various community events and creates light when darkness creeps in - like a little lantern.
Key objectives for sustainability
One of the most important pillars in the transformation and design of the neighborhood centre in Jemtelandsgade is social sustainability. Today, it is a very well functioning base for community democracy and creating networks in the local community as well as a culture house with concerts, debates, theater, lectures and much more. There is room for people to meet and develop new projects or establish workshops.
The project is realist within a very limited budget. It was part of the renewal plan for the area, contributing to a safer community and ensuring places to meet, share and create new networks. Because of the low budget - everything that could be reused was - which was at that time a very new way of building. The focus was on finding new was of using the old building while adding a new hall - mainly built in a high quality plywood, which can withstand weather exposure and at the same time keeps the cost down. The wood is both functionally and aesthetically competent and highly recyclable.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The Neighborhood Centre in Jemtelandsgade has often been called one of the most beautiful public spaces in Copenhagen. Emptying an old industrial building from 1880, an unconventional arrival point for a neighborhood centre is created and added an interpretation of a treehouse in the shape of an assembly hall balancing on crooked concrete columns. The structural changes to the existing building consists primarily of the partial removal of the existing floor decks in order to create a new, triple-high foyer space running the length of the building. In addition to this, the supporting structure in the assembly hall consists of an exposed framework of plywood covered with thermal glazing panels in pine frames.
The placing of the hall on columns creates a safe space, lifted from the ground . becoming a little lantern, giving both protection and overview. Similar to a treehouse it becomes a place to seek refuge in an area - that use to be pretty rough. At the same time it creates a sense of magic and adventure, climbing up the steps to the treehouse. The combination of light, glass and the interior airy wooden construction gives a very special and slightly floating feeling when you are in the hall.
Key objectives for inclusion
During the development of the Neighborhood Centre a wide range of users from the local community was taken onboard to advise and test solutions throughout the different phases. These means that the centre is very grounded in the local spirit. Through user involvement the project was shaped for the local activity and the services it needed. Access to the additional hall is via a closed footbridge from the first floor of the main building. This allows it to be used without regard for the library’s opening hours, which was a strong wish from the community, to ensure the possibility for activities around the clock.
Results in relation to category
The Neighborhood Centre in Jemtelandsgade is a very low budget project, yet of high architectural quality, that brings a space for the local community to thrive and gather for various events. In this project, focusing on context and sustainability, the social climate of the place was one of the most important things. Today, it is a very well functioning base for community democracy and creating networks in the local community as well as a culture house with concerts, debates, theater, lectures and much more. There is room for people to meet and develop new projects or establish workshops.
To create a space for larger events and gatherings, and additional hall was added to the building. The hall was conceived as a “children’s tree house” on trunks of oblique concrete columns. It houses a double-high hall and lies as a freestanding glass-walled structure, slightly turned between the two tall neighbouring buildings, which are covered with different kinds of ivy. The supporting structure in the hall consists of an exposed framework of plywood covered with thermal glazing panels in pine frames. The construction appears like an oversized shelving system and defines the borders of the space while creating a soft transition between the interior and exterior.Access to the addition is via a closed footbridge from the first floor of the main building. This allows it to be used without regard for the library’s opening hours and means that there is activity around the clock.
On a very low budget, the project manages to give more room to activities and public meetings places and ensure a high architectural quality and value. There is room here for the local enthusiasts to meet and develop new projects, conferences and debate events can be held. At the same time, there is room for workshops, art exhibitions, concerts and children's theater.
How Citizens benefit
The Neighborhood Centre in Jemtelandsgade is first and foremost a place for the local community, giving a place for new initiatives to grow. The Neighborhood Centre in Jemtelandsgade is creating new positive meetings between people from all walks of life. It is built on a very low budget, yet is with high architectural ambitions. Everything that could be reused was reused. Today, the Neighborhood Centre in Jemtelandsgade is a house with many different shades. There is children theater, lectures on children and upbringing, concerts, literary events, monthly art exhibitions, local initiative groups and much ore. Every Monday there is an open pavilion with nurses and every Thursday an international mothers group, arranged by the local health care department. Every summer there is outdoor concerts, street theater and food markets. The Neighborhood Centre has become a beacon in the local community and one of the most beautiful neighborhood centres in the world.
Innovative character
The Neighborhood Centre in Jemtelandsgade offers a roll model for neighborhood centres that often need to be built within a very low budget. The main idea of the conversion was to create a proper connection between the building’s many different activities while ensuring an openness and accessibility for the public, also to the building’s upper floors. The goal has been achieved by first peeling the insides out of the old factory building to make room for a spacious and usable three-storey high foyer with cafe and entrance to the library. The existing house wwas then expanded with a striking extension with assembly hall. Like a cave in the trees, the assembly hall is located at the height of the first floor on a ‘forest’ of crooked concrete pillars. The walls of the hall consist of large glass panes with an inner large-mesh wooden lattice that is a bit reminiscent of an oversized bookcase. The entrance to the hall goes via a footbridge from the 1st floor of the original house. The combination of light, glass and the interior airy wooden construction gives a very special and slightly floating feeling when you are in the hall.
The rest of the building was renovated as simple as possible. The floor beams are visible under the ceilings and the stuccoed outer walls were treated with silicate paint. The former asphalt and concrete floors were removed and the original industry sub flooring consisting of narrow pine planks was planed and oil-treated. Cell offices were built with painted, plasterboard partitions. The focus on reusing existing structures and keeping the cost on materials as low as possible, ensures a highly innovative, aesthetic and sustainable project.
