In 2012, central Kokkedal was facing a complex of social and climate-related challenges: Five years prior, a massive cloudburst had caused the Usserød stream to break its banks and caused severe flooding in a residential area. Three years later it happened again. At the same time social cohesion was challenged by an urban landscape divided along socio-economical lines, and the urban spaces that were supposed to serve the community as meeting spots and for recreational use were worn-down, dominated by parking and, in some cases, widely perceived as unsafe.
While the challenges and complexities were apparent, so was the will to do something about them. The Municipality of Fredensborg, the utility company for Fredensborg and the two local housing associations, Boligforeningen 3B and Andelsboligforeningen Hørsholm were all working on projects and plans for central Kokkedal, creating a unique energy and momentum to improve the built environment for the approximately 3,000 people living in the affected areas.
The Climate adaptation Kokkedal project was conceived in 2012 as all of the projects and plans were merged and project partners committed to working together for a shared vision: To shape a climate resilient urban landscape while improving the quality of the built environment and support social and cultural activities and cohesion.
With a project area of 69 hectares, a total budget of 145 mio DKK, and no less than 35 sub-projects to support the overall vision for the area, the Climate Adaptation of Kokkedal is still today one of the largest and most complex projects of its kind in Denmark. It is no exaggeration to say that the project has been pioneering in its ambition to explore and demonstrate the synergies of working holistically with climate adaptation and urban development across a broad range of interests and organisations.
Retention of rain water
The climate adaptation of Kokkedal is based on a Sustainable drainage system (SuDS) where the urban landscape is re-shaped to optimise retention and water storage capacity. The main principle has been to manage and retain rainwater locally, upstream, and on the surface as much as possible to avoid bottlenecks and relieve both waterways and sewage system on days with heavy rain or cloudburst – but also to explore the possibilities of letting runoff rainwater lend aesthetic, recreational and even educational qualities to urban spaces.
Consequently, the project area displays a vast catalogue of solutions for rainwater retention; some blending into an urban context near the school, sports centre and shopping centre, while others blend into a greener, more natural and recreational landscape; some with extensive volume and technical capacity, while others primarily serve to visualise the flow of water through the area and accentuate the function and character of its urban context.
Urban design
The transformation of urban spaces has been guided by an ambition to strengthen access to and connections between destinations through a bright, open and inviting urban design. Shrubs, thickets and fences have been cleared, parking lots have been transformed into places for play, learning and activities, a boardwalk creates new access to nature, and paved areas have made way for blue and green infrastructure. The water’s flow through the urban landscape has been the overarching aesthetic inspiration and recreational theme, with the design team focusing on local interpretations that respect and express the distinct identity and function of each urban space.