Ny Bytoften
Ny Bytoften is a cluster of 114 non-profit residential units in Gladsaxe placed around a common green and a rainwater lake. The design of the building complex focuses on social and environmental sustainability – without the residents and client having to pay more. The residential units are designed by tnt arkitekter and the landscape by Nørgaard & Holscher Landskabsarkitekter.
"The ny Bytoften follows all the regulations of Danish Building Regulations BR 2015, and it will in every way meet the requirements for modern residential housing. It is a building complex which I believe you can all be extremely proud of. And I do not hesitate to conclude that this is the way to go for the non-profit housing sector [...]." Carsten Hansen, Minister for Housing, Urban and Rural Affairs 2013
Resources & Carbon Footprint
The residential units in Ny Bytoften are built within a non-profit framework amount, but emit less CO2 and require less maintenance than standard homes of the same function and size. According to the Danish District Heating Association, the decision to build new residential unit rather than renovating the existing ones has cut 230 tonnes of CO2 a year, corresponding to the annual consumption of 90 standard terraced houses. The choice of materials, such as aluminium frames for the windows, tiled roofs and brick facades, means that the residential units require minimum maintenance. Moreover, the residential units follow all regulations for low-energy class 2015, with an average consumption of electricity, water and heat of DKK 500 a month.
Rainwater Management
Considerable effort has been made to incorporate climate-adapted initiatives in the building complex and landscape. In the green that surrounds the residential units, rainwater is collected and recycled in rain gardens, also known as wadis, and in the central rainwater lake of the area. When the water in Lake Bagsværd rises, the basin serves as a retention basin for the rainwater, saving the residents and municipalities huge amounts relating to water damage. Moreover, the undulating blue and green landscape adds significant recreational value to the area.
About the case
The original Bytoften once consisted of 123 terraced houses situated around an overflow basin on a green. Back in 2010, architects and building committees decided in consultation with the residents of the area to maintain the overall lines by building the residential units around the basin and green and by converting the existing terrain to an attractive landscape with preserved large trees, lake, toboggan slope, playgrounds and communal house.
Today, Ny Bytoften in Gladsaxe can be considered as a reinterpretation of the old complex built in 1955. The residential units and the common open spaces interplay closely and vary in size, making them suited for both singles and families of all ages. The buildings are grouped into nine blocks, all built with yellow soft-moulded and coal-fired bricks, and contain a total of 114 residential units. All residential units have district heating, balanced ventilation and photovoltaic systems. Between the houses are intimate spheres either with access to an outdoor terrace or a private patio. The houses and gardens are oriented towards the grass-covered common areas and set the stage for communal activity.