Author(s): Karsten Mangor; Dan Borgen Haslov
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Rtificial beaches; Artificial lagoons; Work with nature; Landscaping; Waterfront developments 1
Abstract: The Main Theme of the Congress, “Harmonizing the Demands of Art and Nature in Hydraulics”, is becoming increasingly relevant for many large coastal development projects around the world. The requirements of the society for enhancing coastal recreational facilities lead to new trends within the area of coastal rehabilitation from coastal protection towards coastal development in harmony with the forces of the nature and with the demands of the society. This may be developed to various stages – from rehabilitation of nature to urban projects where the forces of the nature are utilised as basis for the hydraulic and architectural landscaping. A large number of coastal development projects such as artificial beaches, beach parks, coastal lagoons and offshore islands are presently being developed worldwide. These developments are to be considered as artificial pieces of new nature. Consequently, such landscape elements will follow the natural development resulting from the characteristics of the hydrodynamic forcing and morphological processes to which they are exposed following construction. It is therefore important to understand the prevailing natural forces and processes responsible for landscape characteristics so that well-functioning landscape elements can be planned and designed to fulfil the demands for man made coastal landscapes. The natural mechanisms for artificial beaches and artificial lagoons, which shall be fulfilled in order to obtain well functioning pieces of partly artificial nature, are described. However, equally important for the functionality of these schemes are the demands of the society for integration of the coastal scheme according to the demands for: • Hydraulically sustainable rehabilitation of the coastal landscape • Access to the scheme taking into consideration public as well as private interests • Balanced weighting between public and private areas • Recreational facilities - promenades, service facilities, man-made nature, beach and water sport facilities, urban waterfronts etc. Design guidelines for a) recreational and landscape elements of coastal developments, b) for artificial beaches and c) for artificial lagoons are provided and an example of a holistic design of the new Amager Beach Park in Copenhagen is presented as an example of an unusual “light house” project. This project is an example on how a successful collaboration between the coastal engineer and the architect can lead to the generation of sustainable new coastal landscape.
Year: 2007