Urban Marina
is on the southern shore of the River Spree, the Federal Waterway (Berlin) and
is urbanistic in concept.
The project’s aim
is to address the interaction between living, leisure and work. It is divided
up into small and medium-sized construction volumes. It expands and accentuates
existing public open spaces.
Urban Marina is not about living at the
water’s edge, but about living with the water and on the water – in flux.
A considerable portion of the entire project area is used as
living space. This living space is deliberately divided up into small sections
to form a horizontal urban canvas of individual units in a simultaneously heterogeneous
and homogeneous layout. Each living space in the layout of the house can be
tailored to the personal requirements of its occupants. The typical building does not have a strict north, south, east or west face in the conventional sense – it is built to give the best view possible, and according faces the direction of whichever perspective is desired.The concept contemplates the permanent and/or
temporary use of individual professional units, and is suited to the diverse
needs of rotating or remaining inhabitants. The objective is expand the
definition of land use and to use synergy effects in order to boost
individuals’ efficiency and motivation.
One of the most important and necessary requirements is the “redefinition
of the river area as a public space”. Urban Marina’s broad spaces provide an
extension of the public space on and beyond the shore.
The Public Space
is designed to act as a multifunctional location for the various service industries
of a leisure-aware society. The public section of the project is formally
described as an architectonic extension of the green belt. Within‘urban
marina’ it is a multilevel, organic connection between all major
components of the project. For the most part it is accessible green space.
Formally interpreted as folded space embracing all functional elements.
At the same time the transitional space
represents a natural spacial barrier, seperating public and private space, the
shore from the housing area, parking from pedestrian walkways, infrastructural
and service spaces from the main features, creation from re-creation and so
forth.