Addressing Urban Challenges
As cities grapple with issues like flooding, parking shortages, and the lack of green spaces, innovative solutions are needed to tackle these pressing urban challenges. Danish architecture firm THIRD NATURE presents a groundbreaking concept called POP-UP, which offers a holistic approach to address these issues simultaneously.
Integration of Urban Elements
POP-UP is a multi-functional structure that combines a green space, a car park, and a water reservoir in a single, innovative design. Utilizing Archimedes’ principle, POP-UP stores water in its reservoir while creating floating space for cars above and green space on top.
Solving Two Problems with One Concept
By strategically mapping areas with significant water handling and parking issues, THIRD NATURE identified opportunities to address both challenges with a single concept. POP-UP emerges as a solution that effectively solves multiple urban problems in one fell swoop.
Adaptive Design for Changing Conditions
The dynamic nature of POP-UP responds to changing weather conditions. During dry periods, the car park remains underground, while the green space occupies the top. However, during storms, excess rainwater is channeled into the water reservoir, causing the parking structure to rise. This adaptability ensures accessibility for pedestrians and vehicles regardless of the water level.
Economic and Environmental Benefits
Although POP-UP may be costlier than traditional parking garages and water reservoirs, its integration of three essential urban elements into one structure offers significant benefits. It frees up building plots for residential or commercial developments and reduces construction costs by consolidating multiple structures into one.
Scalability and Adaptability
While initially designed for Copenhagen and New York’s St. John’s Park, POP-UP’s innovative climate solutions are adaptable to various cities worldwide. Collaborating with engineering companies COWI and RAMBOLL, THIRD NATURE has ensured that the concept’s scalability and adaptability make it suitable for implementation across diverse urban landscapes.
Bridging Design and Sustainability
Beyond its functional aspects, POP-UP exemplifies the potential of design-integrated climate adaptation strategies. By merging design and sustainability principles, projects like POP-UP pave the way for creating more resilient, aesthetically pleasing urban environments that cater to the needs of both people and the planet.
