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Community(s) Care - alternative scenarios to the danish parallel societies act

Name
Zoe George McQueen
Education degree
Master
Subject area
Architecture
Study programme
Urbanism & Societal Change
Institute
Architecture, Urbanism and Landscape
Year
2022

In the current system of the danish parallel societies act, top down decision makers favour demolition as the method to address the ‘political dystopia’ of these areas labelled as 'parallel societies’. This one size fits all approach has little regard for the communities it breaks up, or the environment both on a local and national scale. Instead there is a priority for political gain and architecture is a tool for further political stigmatisation and ostracisation. Our project explores how the architect can facilitate the redistribution of agency within the redevelopment discussions to favour those currently disregarded.

Using Bøgeparken, Vollsmose as a case study, we have used scenarios as a method to explore alternative futures.

Vollsmose is one of the largest transformation areas in Denmark and Bøgeparken is the area within Vollsmose with the most demolition planned. In September 2021, this process started with the residential tower. It is here we have focused our project, however, these scenarios could play out in any of the buildings slated for demolition in Vollsmose, or any other transformation area in the country. 

Scenario Matrix
left to right: current trajectory, the 4 scenarios, strategy for agency
Atypical demolition: the tower as a resource
Expanding minimalism: the tower as more than housing
Inhabitation as a form of protest: the tower as a democratic framework
A monument to bureaucratic failure: the tower as a monument
The Royal Danish Academy supports the Sustainable Development Goals
Since 2017 the Royal Danish Academy has worked with the Sustainable Development Goals. This is reflected in our research, our teaching and in our students’ projects. This project relates to the following UN goal(-s):
Good health and well-being (3)
Reduced inequalities (10)
Sustainable cities and communities (11)