Falstersvej District
A preservation-oriented development plan in Middelfart
How can we preserve the identity and distinctive unpolished aesthetic in the transformation of former industrial areas, while at the same time renewing the sites for future life and ensuring the lowest possible resource consumption?
As our cities grow, the transformation of decommissioned industrial areas increasingly becomes part of new planning strategies. These sites also carry cultural heritage and important stories about the development of the city and society. At the same time, construction in Denmark accounts for around 30% of the country’s total CO₂ emissions. It is therefore crucial to develop new practices for preservation-oriented development plans.
The Falstersvej District is a 30-hectare industrial area that Middelfart Municipality plans to transform into a mixed-use urban neighborhood. Schønherr, in collaboration with Grandville, has contributed to the development plan and subsequently acted as consultant on analytical studies concerning climate adaptation, biodiversity, and cultural environments.
A method for integrating circularity, cultural heritage, and social potential
The aim of the project has been to reuse as many buildings and materials as possible within the area while maintaining and strengthening the district’s identity.
Together with Planscape, Schønherr has developed a new screening method that assesses each building in terms of transformation potential, urban life potential, identity, cultural history value, and embedded CO₂. This method makes it possible to integrate measurable quantitative parameters with qualitative, sensory, and social parameters in a transformation process.
Dialogue and engagement as the foundation for change
A particularly important insight from the project is the significance of dialogue and engagement in processes that concern everyday cultural heritage, which is often overlooked. Over time, dialogue can reshape understandings of what holds value – while habits and routines in the construction industry are challenged.
When working with the reuse of local materials, issues of ownership, availability, legislation, and entrenched habits challenge the utilization of site-specific resources. Future practices for reusing buildings and materials will therefore require new approaches, new systems, new types of enterprises, and continuous dialogue and knowledge sharing between citizens, landowners, and the municipality - both before and during the transformation process.
