Responsibility

Responsibility, Urbanization and Physical Activity

by Morten Myrup Jensen,

February 7th 2010

Advances in science and developments in culture and society has made our western lives longer and more pleasant than those of our grand parents. Less war, more social security, better health care, comfortable houses and an abundance of machines to ease the work we do for a living. As we have eradicated most of the fatal bacteria and viruses from our immediate surroundings along with most of the potentially dangerous circumstances in our work, we are more or less left with the effects of our life style to influence our health.

Our knowledge of the factors that can promote and also hinder the further advancement of health and quality of life is so extensive that it is, in my view, in fact the management and administration of this knowledge which is the key issue in the future. We need to use this knowledge to design and plan a better environment, better houses and healthier life styles for the sakes of ourselves and of the planet. We need to act on what we know.

The re-designing and -planning of Nørreport Station in Copenhagen is at present time at the stage where the winning design has been declared. The project is long awaited as the site is the single most busy traffic hub in the country and the most chaotic as well.

The issues involved are massive air pollution from underground diesel trains and surface traffic, and logistics of commuters changing from public transportation (trains, metro and busses) to bikes, walking and private cars. The vast number of bicycles parked in the area is indicative of the municipality´s ambition to become the world´s best city for cycling by 2015 (ref.). In my opinion a very admirable goal and a long step in the planning of a healthy city with physically active citizens.

The project seems to become a great improvement for the thousands of people who daily cross the site on bike or use public transportation. But in fact, the ambition of the project is far smaller than expected by architects from such a long wait. I was thought to include the public parks at each end as well as being capable of binding together the medieval city and Israel´s square. Many student projects have shown greater imagination over the years. This disappointment is generally perceived as due to the fact that federal officials, administrators, and not experts, have been in charge of planning the project.

In my view, planning is improved by bringing together the relevant parties; representatives of the affected groups, the professionals and the decision makers. Professionals are experts possessing knowledge that is crucial to the informing of the decision makers; architects, designers, planners, engineers, health professionals et al.

Key elements to consider in the process include the following:

Preventive action. Planning intelligently involves a breadth of view that encompass urban planning workshops as well as economic and health impacts. Looking ahead to prevent facing expensive future complications can be economically viable in the long run. When coming upon areas where knowledge is scarce, research should be applied before irrevocable action is taken.

Design for pedestrians. People won´t be physically active in spaces designed for cars. There are specific ways to encourage activity and pauses in between our buildings as Jan Gehl has put it in lectures for decades. Designing not for cars, but for pedestrians, not 100 km/h architecture, but 5 km/h architecture is his mantra.

Zoning for multi-use. Mixing residential, commercial and public functions will create areas where people can live, work, shop and go to school within biking or walking distance, lowering the need for aided transportation.

Design for the disabled. By improving accessibility, disabled people become less dependent on outside help and will participate and contribute to society.

Design greenspace. Introducing green spaces in urban areas raises the sense of community among people, reducing violence and improving mental health.

The next logical step in planning the healthy city of Copenhagen in particular is reducing the causes of chronic diseases that we have the knowledge and ability to get rid of. Air pollution is the obvious choice for preventive action which would have a positive impact on health.

Given the knowledge we have of the adverse effects of living close to heavy traffic it is, in my view, a mystery that city dwellers haven´t demanded clean air from their legislators and a disgrace that politicians do so little to alleviate the problems.

Particle filters, road pricing or use of only electric vehicles in the city centers are all feasible solutions to reduce the 500 premature deaths yearly caused by traffic pollution in Copenhagen alone (ref.).

Explicitly, politicians are directly responsible for the passing of laws that could lead to investment in more effective and cleaner public transport, but pragmatically, laws are written and projects are run by federal officials. Administrators are gradually taking over the helm when it comes to navigating the bureaucratic waters. Experts and professionals are more often used as consultants than participating in the actual decision process.

It is well known that politicians are driven by public opinion and demands: No public support, no vote. The public, in turn, is driven largely by immediate demands influenced by trends and opinion leaders present in the media. And this is where I see an opening for planners and designers. The current situation is such, that more often than not, the medias turn to economists and engineers when seeking expert opinions on planning and tend to ignore architects. Researchers in architecture need to be visible and opinionated players in the media to get more leverage.

The stake-holders in the planning of an active city are:

Citizens and visitors. The people living in the city and those commuting and traveling to the city as workers and tourists. Their lives are affected in a direct way.

The media has the power to direct attention to matters in a way that can change the focus of the population and thereby the politician´s.

The professionals have the knowledge to inform others and thus the responsibility to put their understanding and skills to use.

Health professionals stress that the benefits of physical activity can integrate public health issues with urban planning issues.

The sports community can contribute specialist insights and determine the realism of designers ideas.

Planners and designers ideally have the role as visionaries and the bringing together of the combined efforts in a synthesis that lifts the physical activity on the city to new levels.

The decision makers. In the public realm they are the legislators and administrators, the politicians who put down the framework within to act. They control zoning rules, building regulations, and decide the economic focus of the state.

The private investors, the building owners acting within the framework, often prioritize economy over design.

It so happens that the best defense against air pollution is physical exercise. This helps slowing down the hardening of the arteries (ref.).

It may even be the fact that helps politicians sleep at night, because the city of Copenhagen is well equipped with possibilities for living an active life.

A great leap forward was accomplished in 2002 when the harbour canal was declared safe for swimming and the Plot designed harbour bassin at Islands Brygge opened to the public (wiki). The waterfront area has later been developed into a promenade with greenspaces, shelters, a public culture house with restaurant and sports facillities used for meetings, yoga classes etc. The annual water festival takes place here and the area is generally packed during summer lifting the businesses of the entire neighborhood.

From the overwhelming success of the Islands Brygge waterfront it has become evident that physical activity in the public space is possible and greatly appreciated.

It seems to me that leisure activities rather than highly competitive sports are better suited to the public spaces. I.e. sports without competition and physical expressions like dance, yoga, tai-chi, parkour, ice- and roller-skating, bathing, swimming, sailing, kayaking, kite- and windsurfing, etc. have no other purposes than recreational. But occasional high profile events like using the city spaces as arenas for sports competitions like marathons, triathlons and other events on ground, on the water or in the air, prove very interesting as well.

I believe that politicians hold the responsibility to be informed by participants and experts alike and act in the interest of the citizens and less in the interest of companies as seems sometimes to be the case. Professionals hold the responsibility to speak up when they possess knowledge which is of crucial interest to the public. They should actively aid the decision process of urban planning and insist on being invited to the table. Of course designers, architects and planners hold the key position in rethinking the uses of public space, synthesize the skills and input of the other parties and have the responsibility to be loud and visible in the public´s awareness.

(ref.) Nørrebro Lokaludvalg, “Referat fra Nørrebro Luftforureningsseminar d. 21. april 2009“

(wiki) Wikipedia article “Københavns Havnebade”