Striking the right balance

A huge effort on the part of the housing association Himmerlands Boligforening has transformed the Kildeparken housing estate on the eastern outskirts of Aalborg, Denmark. Many initiatives have been launched to revitalise and create a new identity for the neighbourhood, including a new health clinic and sports facilities.

A large team of advisers have jointly succeeded in creating what is known as ‘The New Fyrkildevej’, rethinking the potential of the neighbourhood and addressing its scope for renewal.

The local firm of architects BJØRK & MAIGAARD together with LINK Arkitektur has worked on the project, looking at the layout of the area, the landscaping, facades and the variety of homes in the area. The result is a new and inviting neighbourhood.

The terraced houses have been taken right back to the load-bearing constructions and therefore appear very new. Some restructuring has resulted in a new type of home with higher ceilings on the top floor. To ensure pleasant acoustics in the high-ceilinged rooms, Troldtekt acoustic ceilings have been installed. This is also the case in the stairways, where the other surfaces are hard.

More materiality

New variation has also been introduced at apartment level, which means that each street has many different types of apartments as a way of attracting a mix of residents. A lot of work has generally gone into creating a pleasant outdoor environment. The high-roofed apartments have been clad in black wood, as have other architectural elements, the effect being both visual and textural variation.

As part of the holistic renovation of Kildeparken, co-housing for seniors will be built, as well as relevant commercial premises. Troldtekt acoustic panels will also be used there, ensuring great acoustics and more varied materiality.