PADRE NUESTRO PADRE NUESTRO

As a project which won several prize, the beauty in design has been repeatedly written. The original plan for the reconstruction of the center part in the Old Airfield has a quite minimalism concept and site plan (Fig 6.2.5). The idea was quite simple, that is to remove or break part of the sealed surface for greening and left others for recreation and connection. The specific measurements diverse due to the location and needs. For example, the 500-meter long runway are completely preserved as it was on the east half near the main room for activities, while the west half was narrowed to a small strip with the removed pieces of concrete piled on both road sides. However, this narrow part and the concrete is almost completely buried under vegetation and is barely walkable today (Fig 6.2.6-a). The tree grove in front of the tower used to be a sealed little square. Here the concrete was thoroughly moved and turned into a picnic lawn with 55 regularly planted trees which provide shade and fresh air. Almost each individual tree belongs to a different species and has a donor. The smashed concrete was put into iron cages which set near the grove and sometimes function as sitting benches (Fig 6.2.6-b).

Greater changes happen in the west and north part of the place. The concrete floor of former parking apron was excavated but break into larger pieces. These pieces were piled up to imitate the picture “The Ice Sea” by Caspar David Friedrich, thus the place was named “The plaice fields” to indicate the similarity. Furthermore, researchers form the Senckenberg Research Institute have been monitoring and documenting the development of this large natural experimentation since 2003 (GTL 2004). Now the big “floating ices” have lost their sharp edges but cover by moss and merge into dense plants (Fig 6.2.6-c). The former helicopter parking area had better conditions and was strengthened in the habitat functions. The concrete slabs were piled up neatly, and the permeable lawn turned to woodlands (Fig 6.2.6-d). The artificial pond in the middle of one river branch highly increase the diversity of small animal species and formed a natural text book of habitat diversity for children. In a word, all these construction wastes were integrated into the planning as critical design resources. The gradual demolition of concrete and asphalt as well as the process of the overtaken of natural regeneration present as a dynamic picture of how landscape could transform through time.

Fig 6.2. 5 The Old Airfield satellite image in 2002 before reconstruction (upper, from Google Earth historical map) and the site plan in 2003 for the reconstruction (lower, from GTL), edit by author.

Furthermore, from the perspective of how functions interact with each other, new inspiration can be found. Using a simplified diagram to illustrate the complex functions undertaken by this small site (Fig 6.2.7), it is quite clear that how different categories of functions locate and combine with each other to a maximum extent. The general arrangement of the center area follows the gradient from the human dominated east end to the nature dominated west end of the main runway. The east part seems to be a quite normal recreational center, with museums, restaurant, parking lot and green spaces, while the west is more wild and deep in the control of nature.

However, no part takes single functions but all highly combines with other types of services especially the cultural services. For instance, the tree grove on the east end is an active place contributing in air purification, carbon sequestration and water regulation, as well as being used as recreational activities like picnic and sunbath, or for aesthetic appreciation by users in restaurant. The wet grassland and the re-naturalized former parking apron in the middle part have provided unique habitats for local species, for scientific monitor and studies, as well as for the education on children. The former helicopter parking place in the west end of the runway functions similarly but lay higher emphasis on habitat nurturing. Even the large grassland on the south of runway is a productive land besides being a green open space. All these highly functional parts are linked together by the round runway, thus gain closer relationships with each other and gradually create synergies with each other.

It seems to be an unspectacular way to plan the function structure by the first glance but it is actually a textbook example. Cultural services, in order to gain people’s interests, need a relatively high density; nevertheless, habitat functions demand relatively less human intervention. It would easily form potential conflict with each other like that in the urban forest, or they are separated in location without any possibility of combination. The runway here functions both segregation and connection to make these two types of functions synergy together to generate positive effects, thus the place becomes the so called multifunctional open space by all means.

Another interesting finding from the case is that the cultural services are different with each other, which has not been discussed by former studies. The common cultural services can be categorized into two groups, the negative and positive ones. Negative services, include the C1 aesthetic appreciation and C5 cultural heritage value, are site-dependent which means their value mainly hinge on the quality of the objective space, could be certain types of landscapes or with specific historical memories. The positive ones refer to C2 recreation, mental and physical health and C4 scientific and educational value, which depend more on the planning. Under appropriate arrangement, the positive cultural services have

Fig 6.2. 7 Diagram of the functions and relationships in Old Airfield, by author.

higher suitability on variety places and can play a higher role in activating the place. The cultural services of Old Airfield are typical examples of how the positive services synergy across categories and enhance the general vitality of the whole project.