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AAU Students Propose Green Urban Space at Copenhagen High School
Nyhed
AAU Students Propose Green Urban Space at Copenhagen High School
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AAU Students Propose Green Urban Space at Copenhagen High School
By Susanne Togeby, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photo: Private
A group of students from the Urban, Energy, and Environmental Planning program in Copenhagen chose to spend a semester developing a proposal to improve the outdoor areas at Sukkertoppen Gymnasium. The idea arose because they themselves found the area gray and uninviting. This was confirmed by high school students during a workshop, where they provided input.
During the workshop, it became clear that the students missed recreational facilities and rarely spent time outside. The university students knew from other studies that this could have a broader impact on well-being. The project therefore focused on integrating more greenery and creating a vibrant urban space with room for outdoor activities and seating areas.
The Multi-purpose Court
The Multi-purpose Court at Heavy Rainfall
We chose this topic because we were interested in climate adaptation, well-being, and urban life.
Maya Camilla Ougaard, one of the students from Aalborg University, speaks on behalf of the group:
“We chose this topic because we were interested in climate adaptation, well-being, and urban life. We also wanted to work with nature-based solutions and integrate more greenery into the urban space.”
Sukkertoppen Gymnasium is a Global Goals school, where sustainability plays a central role in both education and the school's values. For the university students, it was important to give the high school students a voice and allow them to contribute their perspectives in the development of the proposal.
Used Minecraft as a Development Tool
To involve students in the development of the urban space, the AAU students used Minecraft Education. Minecraft served as a common platform between the project group and the high school students, allowing them to communicate and visualize their ideas, the group explains.
Minecraft was also used to create a model of the school and its outdoor areas, enabling the students to present their proposed solutions in 3D. This helped provide a spatial understanding of the project, making it easier for the students to relate to. Minecraft Education supported an ongoing process, as it allowed for quick and easy modifications and additions to the design.
Green Recreational Solutions for Urban Spaces
In their development plan, the students from Aalborg University propose the following solutions:
- Sunken Green Area: This space will collect rainwater during cloudbursts, functioning as a retention basin. Additionally, it can be used as a recreational area when dry.
- Sunken Sports Court: Designed to also collect water, this area can double as an outdoor learning space, featuring tiered seating and a blackboard.
- More Greenery and Better Seating Areas: Both were specifically requested by the students.
- Opening the School’s Outdoor Areas: This will provide more recreational spaces outside school hours, allowing the entire neighborhood to benefit from the area.
Løsningerne bidrager til at håndtere ekstreme nedbørsmængder. De to store forsinkelsesbassiner kan tilsammen optage en 10-årshændelse, mens grønne tage og beplantning andre steder yderligere kan absorbere vand.
Redesign of the Schoolyard
Redesign of the Schoolyard After a Cloudburst
Cross-Section of the Schoolyard
The proposed solutions were later presented to the students, and they were well received:
“We received very positive feedback from the students at Sukkertoppen when we presented the proposal to them. However, there are currently no plans to implement any of the initiatives,” Maya explains on behalf of the group.
The students might explore ways to further develop their ideas in the future.
The Green Oasis
Cross-Section of the Green Oasis
The group consisted of:
- Birger Fritzsche
- Iben Nikoline Jensen
- Johanne Lea Hjøllund Petersen
- Maya Camilla Ougaard, mougaa23@student.aau.dk
- Rasmus Svensson
The project is called: From Gray to Green; A Sustainable Urban Renewal of NEXT Sukkertoppen Gymnasium’s Local Area.
Translated by Emma Holtegaard Hansen
About the Urban, Energy, and Environmental Planning Program
The students who developed the proposal for a green space in collaboration with Sukkertoppen Gymnasium were in their third semester of the Urban, Energy, and Environmental Planning program. This program focuses on urban development and planning, ensuring cities can accommodate growing populations while considering environmental sustainability. Students learn how to design and implement sustainable energy systems for the present and future, as well as strategies for environmental protection.