The team of Henning Larsen Architects, Polyform and Drees & Sommer has proposed five new urban spaces centred around each their own “traffic artery”: a green, scenic route, a “cultural” street, a shopping street, a passage road and finally, a connecting area between Odense Cathedral and the Sct. Albani Church.
The five urban spaces are based on five separate themes, each adding a new dimension to the city. The spaces will offer individual experiences of the city at different levels, while still being united by their recognisable design and materiality.
All parking facilities are placed below terrain, and the new parking garages will appear light and welcoming with ample daylight and green plants. With a new light rail and ring road, the city centre will be free from cars and thus, focus will be on human activity. Altogether, a new “breathable” city centre based on human scale and enhancing active city life is established. Being CO2 neutral and featuring Integrated Energy Design solutions, the city will be a showpiece of sustainable urban development.
The competition proposal makes five precise stitches – five urban spaces – effectively and poetically closing the wound of the city.
Odense City and Realdania are behind the project, and the three competition proposals will be presented to the public in the time to come. The competition is expected to be decided in spring 2012.