Jakriborg - New Urbanism town

[Kampflamm]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakriborg

So what do you guys think of such a "fake" city. Has modernist architecture failed to create a (small) environment in which people like to live in?

[Gatis]

It is fake but it looks cosy. Modernist architecture does not care to be cosy.

[Swede]

IMO it doesn't look cosy, it just looks fake. It's all the same. Every single house needs much more attention to detail for it to have a "real" feel.
Maybe it's that I work in the Old Town that makes me see it as just an above average post-modernist copy of old styles.

[Bond James Bond]

They should build something like that in America. Then everyone would *know* it's fake and therefore there would be no accusations of dishonesty.

[GNU]

Im not a big fan of this.
Dont get me wrong, it looks nice but I think it comes across as faked.
People who dont know anything about architecture might think that those buildings are old.
I dont think that new houses need to look like they are a hundred years old.
And modern architecture hasnt failed.
There are lots of examples of modern architecture in which people like to live in.

here is an example:

[Giri]

It obviously looks fake but it's related to the materials used for these buildings. I don't think though that it looks faker than post-WW2 reconstructions we're now so fond of ( it includes Dresden ). And new is always fake : give it 50 years and it'll develop some charm that respects the architectural environment of the country contrary to other modern buildings which will still be verrucas to my eyes.

[Ataman]

Bumping an old thread.

More pictures from flickr: http://www.pbase.com/mistermattias/hjarup

I find the houses very nice (to live in). The only part I am not so sure is the bland pavement and the lack of activity based on the pictures.

-Ataman

[Unionstation13]

I think that is a very charming town.
Just because they are new doesn't mean they have to be modern.
Even if they were just built they are still very charming.

[Benonie]

It's fake and I don't like fake.

I can live with reconstructions like Warszaw, Gdansk or Dresden, cause the historic heart was destroyed during war and they rebuilt it acording to old plans, photo's and paintings.

The pics GNU showed are a good example of new, cosy architecture.

[Kampflamm]

To be honest I prefer Jakriborg to that new architecture. Traditional styles just look more "comfortable/cosier".

[michaelII]

the problem is that no one cares when it comes to build something outside of the historic town centers. if an investor builds some residential project the only question in a meeting is how we can make it cheeper. you cannot make a nice wooden floor because it's too expencive, you cannot make this and you cannot make that.
but if it comes to a reconstruction project the focus lies on the architecture and money is not such a problem.
with enough money and/or a good client you can always make nice projects.

[catoneinutica]

Give it a couple of years to acquire a patina of lived-in-ness before pronouncing judgment! As for calling it "fake," well, I personally feel every shoebox modernist building is "fake" - ugly copies of Gropius and Le Corbusier

[michaelII]

i don't see any balconies, terraces, ... in those buildings. those spaces make a big part of the living quality in a house/apartment.
i wouldn't consider this good architecture.
if i compare it for example with the living quality in one of those flats in this rooftop extension.









i would definitly prefer living in one of those flats.
more living quality, diferent spaces ... every flat is like a small village. that's architecture for me.

[Unionstation13]

Real architecture stands the test of time.
Older styles are timeless, that will no doubt be ugly in a decade.(I find them to be ugly now). I would sacrafice a garden, or a balcony to be able to live in a cozy building that doesn't look like a tin can that was digested by a goat.

[erbse]

Two more galleries of Jakriborg: Click or die.


If anybody's further interested in the actual topic: Poundbury in England is some sorta similar historicized town. (Homepage)
Two driven tour-videos through the town:
Video 1 and Video 2.

Looks pretty liveable for such an 'artificial' settlement. Of course, it's disney'ish somehow - but I actually prefer this kinda Kitsch-towns to any commie-block one. I hope some other places are going to follow this trend, I can't see those bland concrete boxes with ubersmall crenel-windows anymore.

[Quintana]

Most people prefer this kind of architecture over modernist. Some people say it is fake but so is neoclassical architecture and nobody seems to mind about that one...

I actually think it looks pretty good. In my country we have Brandevoort, a district of Helmond (near Eindhoven), which looks a lot more fake than Jakriborg does. It will eventually be home to 18,000 people:

image hosted on flickr

[Unionstation13]

I love those rowhouses. Here in my city the neo-classical townhouses seem to also be making a comeback.

[Conrad]

i've visited jakriborg once and i certainly didn't fancy it. i mean, those houses don't look that bad but the overall atmosphere was rather dull. if a medieval-like old town was what they wanted they should have designed the project more carefully.

[TOB1AS]

Looks like something from Oblivion. =)

[arxeos]

Originally Posted by Kampflamm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakriborg

So what do you guys think of such a "fake" city. Has modernist architecture failed to create a (small) environment in which people like to live in?

It looks good and doesnt feel fake for me , although more diversity would be better or if they added some other stuff like some barroque church or something neoclassical between some of theese buildings so it doesnt get so repetetive