KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces 9783955535391, 9783955535384

Citation preview

København Urban ­Architecture and Public Spaces

København Urban Architecture and Public Spaces Sandra Hofmeister (Ed.)

Contents Prologue  Arne Jacobsen’s Heirs: New Horizons in Architecture Sandra Hofmeister

Public Spaces ○ ○

 1 Superkilen Topotek 1, BIG, Superflex  2 Israels Plads Cobe, Sweco Architects Interview Dan Stubbergaard/Cobe Architecture and Social Interaction  3 Red Cross Volunteer House Cobe  4 Nørreport Station Cobe, Gottlieb Paludan Architects  5 Cityringen Arup  6 Musiktorvet Effekt Arkitekter Essay Cycling Culture and Quality of Life Sandra Hofmeister

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Sports and Leisure ○ ○

 7 Amager Bakke BIG  8 Kalvebod Bølge Urban Agency, JDS Architects Essay From Tivoli to the Harbour Bath Sandra Hofmeister  9 Park ’n’ Play JAJA Architects  10 Aktivitetshus Rambøll  11 Noma 2.0 BIG

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024 036 046 054 060 068 076 082

098 106 114 120 128 134

Culture and Education ○ ○

 12 BLOX OMA  13 Copenhagen International School C.F. Møller Architects Essay Back to the Water: The Revival of the Port Jakob Schoof  14 Den Blå Planet – National Aquarium Denmark 3XN  15 Ørestad Gymnasium 3XN Interview Kim Herforth Nielsen/3XN Architecture as an Experiment  16 Experimentarium Extension Cebra  17 Børnekulturhus Ama’r Dorte Mandrup, Nøhr & Sigsgaard  18 Skolen i Sydhavnen JJW Architects  19 Ku.Be MVRDV, Adept  20 Extension of Gammel Hellerup Gymnasium BIG

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Housing ○ ○ ○ ○

 21 The Silo Cobe  22 Krøyers Plads Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Cobe  23 Sundbyøster Hall II Dorte Mandrup  24 Lange Eng Cohousing Dorte Mandrup Interview Dorte Mandrup Housing Concepts: Traditional and Trendsetting  25 8 Tallet BIG  26 Dortheavej Residence BIG  27 Nordbro Arkitema  28 Tietgenkollegiet Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter

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Appendix

Architects Imprint, picture credits

KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

148 158 168 180 188 194 202 210 216 222 228

242 250 258 267 274 280 288 294 300

310 312

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Projects

 15 Ørestad Gymnasium 3XN ○ Superkilen Topotek 1, BIG, Superflex ○ Extension Cebra 16 Experimentarium ○ Israels Plads Cobe, Sweco Architects ○  ○ Ama’r Dorte Mandrup, 17 Børnekulturhus ○ Red Cross Volunteer House Cobe  Nøhr & Sigsgaard Nørreport Station Cobe, Gottlieb ○ Paludan Architects  18 Skolen i Sydhavnen JJW Architects ○  19 Ku.Be ○ MVRDV, Adept 5 Cityringen Arup ○   6 Musiktorvet Effekt Arkitekter ○ of Gammel Hellerup 20 Extension ○  ○ Amager Bakke BIG BIG ymnasium G ­ 7  8 Kalvebod ○ Bølge Urban Agency, 21 The Silo Cobe ○  JDS Architects ○ Plads Vilhelm Lauritzen 22 Krøyers  ­Architects, Cobe ○ ’n’ Play 9 Park  ○ JAJA Architects 23 Sundbyøster Hall II Dorte Mandrup ○ ○ 10 Aktivitetshus Rambøll 24 Lange Eng Cohousing Dorte Mandrup  25 8 Tallet BIG ○ 11 Noma 2.0 BIG ○  12 BLOX OMA ○ Residence BIG 26 Dortheavej ○  ○ C  openhagen International School Nordbro Arkitema 13 27 ○ ○ C.F. Møller Architects Lundgaard & 28 Tietgenkollegiet  ­Tranberg Arkitekter ○ Blå Planet – National Aquarium 14 Den  1 2 3 4

Denmark 3XN

Arne ­Jacobsen’s Heirs: New Horizons in Architecture Sandra Hofmeister 008 KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

The architectural history of the post-war era can only boast a handful of structures that could be described as a total work of art, a gesamtkunstwerk, conceived as a unified whole – and Arne Jacobsen’s Hotel SAS Royal in Copenhagen is one of them. The Danish architect designed it from the inside out. He was not only responsible for the design of the hotel complex with its 70-metre-high tower, compellingly embedded into the urban context on Hammerichsgade. With his great attention to detail, he also designed the interiors of the luxury hotel – from furniture to light fixtures, and even the restaurant cutlery. The hotel, which opened in 1960, was connected to Kastrup Airport by its own air terminal, including a Scandinavian Airlines check-in – a clear advantage in the emerging Jet Age. Over the decades, Jacobsen’s iconic architectural masterpiece underwent numerous alterations and renovations to adapt it to the changing spirit of the times. Today, the hotel is part of the Radisson Collection, which has maintained a vestige of its original state: Room 606. Here one can experience Jacobsen’s careful coordination of colours, textiles, furniture, and lighting. Tables and shelves are integrated into the African wenge panelling which runs along the lower part of the walls. The dark wood contrasts with the blue-green colours of the walls, curtains, and upholstery of the seating – including Jacobsen’s famous Egg and Drop chairs, which were custom made for the hotel and quickly became design classics. The play of natural light and colour in Room 606 creates the impression of a sharply drawn horizon, defined by the edge of the wooden panelling, similar to a landscape. The view out of the window underscores this impression, transferring the artificial horizon onto the panorama of the city centre. Jacobsen’s icon remains a central landmark in Copenhagen today. But the horizon of architecture has changed over the ­decades and generations. While the SAS Royal Hotel set a vertical landmark in the cityscape, today it is mainly the public spaces and plazas that open up new horizons for the Danish Arne Jacobsen’s Heirs: New Horizons in Architecture Sandra Hofmeister

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010 KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

Arne Jacobsen’s Heirs: New Horizons in Architecture Sandra Hofmeister

011

capital. Many of these urban spaces are designed as artificial landscapes, with carefully balanced architecture featuring hills and arches, views of the water, and opportunities to linger or interact. As everyday meeting points, they create places of encounter and community for young and old in the city. Contemporary architectural projects also offer a variety of concepts for living and leisure. Through infrastructural interventions and masterplans for new urban quarters on the waterfront, as well as through the public bathing facilities in the harbour basin, a sustainable network of urban qualities has emerged in recent decades that spans the entire city and helps to shape dayto-day life. The city has itself the ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2025, with rigorous standards applying to all new conversions, expansions, and major development projects. To put its plans into action, the city is partnering with protagonists from architecture and urban planning – and most of them are from Copenhagen. Dan Stubbergaard of Cobe and Bjarke Ingels of BIG studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture, just like the architect Arne Jacobsen, who died in 1971, and whose legacy is even inscribed in the founding history of some of Copenhagen’s architectural firms. The international firm Henning Larsen Architects, for example, was founded in the 1950s by Danish architect Henning Larsen, who previously worked for Arne Jacobsen. Architectural studios from the Danish capital are realizing projects around the world, making their mark from Paris to Shanghai. Ten years ago, Bjarke Ingels was still a furious young talent when he designed projects such as the residential complex 8 Tallet in Ørestad. With his firm BIG, the Copenhagen native is currently completing the Two World Trade Center skyscraper at Ground Zero in New York City. Dorte Mandrup, whose buildings like Sundbyøster Hall II play an important role in the urban fabric, recently won the international competition for the new Exilmuseum at Anhalter Station in Berlin. Kim Herforth 012 KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

Arne Jacobsen’s Heirs: New Horizons in Architecture Sandra Hofmeister

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Nielsen with his studio 3XN designed the United Nations administration building in Copenhagen’s North Harbour and the Royal Danish Aquarium, and is now working with his team in Australia on the redesign of the Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay in Sydney. Architecture from Denmark is writing stories of success. It is designed in international teams and regarded in many countries as a trademark for bold, carefully implemented projects and masterplans. To delve into the origins of this success and better understand the idea of architecture as an enrichment of public space, it’s worth looking at the urban architecture and public spaces that have emerged in the city in recent decades. Copenhagen today has about half a million inhabitants and is one of the smallest capitals in Europe. Yet its contemporary building activity is exemplary in many aspects, and many other metropolises are learning from Copenhagen. This book presents buildings and sites in the Danish capital whose architecture has made a significant impact on public space over the past ten years. Descriptions of these select buildings, plazas, and infrastructure projects are grouped into four chapters. Public spaces, sports and leisure, culture and education, and housing are key building blocks in the ongoing process by which Copenhagen is successfully reinventing itself with an eye to the future. The project reviews are complemented by essays on major development projects, such as the revitalization of the harbour and bicycle infrastructure. Interviews provide insight into the critical urban vision of various architects. This multifaceted portrait of Copenhagen and its contemporary architecture also reveals the city’s future-forward self-image. The horizon stretches from Arne Jacobsen to his heirs and from the Jet Age into the post-pandemic era. The Covid-19 pandemic brought the Jet Age to a screeching halt. But what has become all the clearer is the importance of everyday urban qualities in the analogue life of the city and its 014 KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

inhabitants – perhaps without air travel but almost certainly by bicycle. In this context, public space and the city represent promising perspectives for people. And Copenhagen is well underway in making these ideas a reality.

Arne Jacobsen’s Heirs: New Horizons in Architecture Sandra Hofmeister

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018 PUBLIC SPACES

Cirkelbroen (Circle Bridge) is part of a pedestrian and bicycle path that runs

along the harbour of the Danish metropolis.

Cirkelbroen Studio Olafur Eliasson

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020 PUBLIC SPACES

Copenhagen’s waterfronts are among the city’s most popular social gathering

places; pictured here at Krøyers Plads in the inner harbour.

Krøyers Plads Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Cobe

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022 PUBLIC SPACES

Ramps, stairs, and fountains at Israels Plads set the stage for leisure and relaxation.

Israels Plads Cobe, Sweco ­Architects

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Landscape design: Topotek 1 Art: Superflex Client: Copenhagen Municipality; Realdania Completion: 2012 Area: 33,000 m2 Use: Park, recreation area

1

Superkilen Park, Nørrebrogade, Nørrebro #superkilen

Topotek 1, BIG, Superflex

Colour-Coded Urban Space Superkilen

What looks like an accidental spill of paint across a public square is the result of a well-considered concept. Since 2004, the City of Copenhagen has been implementing an urban renewal programme to improve not only infrastructure but also the quality of living in general. In addition to new residential buildings, the cultural complexity of the multinational Nørrebro district is also being promoted, in order to strengthen the area’s appeal and the identification of the residents with their neighbourhood. An interdisciplinary competition was held for the vacant area that once marked the end of a tram line with a roundhouse. The tender called for collaborative efforts involving architects, landscape architects, artists, and local residents.

025

The implemented concept testifies to the client’s bold vision. Bright, ­colourful, and at times bizarre, Superkilen Park unfolds its offerings for the local community like a futuristic stage set. This former blot on the urban landscape is now divided into three distinct zones across 1.5 kilometres. The red zone, which begins with cultural offerings at the Nørrebrohallen sports complex, explodes in a sea of colours with shades of red, orange, and pink, extending vertically along building walls. An existing cycle path was also successfully integrated into the new plan. The black zone functions as an urban living room, whose classic plaza design includes fountains, benches, and game tables. The topography of this part, which has a hill at one end, serves as the setting for a weekly urban market. Here, the prominent pattern of white lines on dark asphalt are a subtle signal for pedestrians to speed up and points the way forward. The green zone, with its gently rolling landscape, provides a shady park for families with children, for picnics, or simply relaxing. Each zone has a unique, open-use programme and encourages visitors to pass the time with various opportunities for gathering and physical activity. Civic engagement was encouraged in a special way. Instead of searching for street furniture in catalogues, the planners asked area residents to suggest things that would remind them of their native countries. Objects from 57 countries can now be found in the urban space. From an American fast food restaurant logo to Russian lettering, Moroccan ornamentation on fountains, Thai boxing rings, and Chinese palm trees – the furnishings tell all kinds of stories. The planners see this approach as a contemporary interpretation of historical gardens, which often aimed to re-create exotic landscapes. All in all, it represents an innovative way to transform a monotonous transit area into a community experience.

026 PUBLIC SPACES

○1 Superkilen Topotek 1, BIG, Superflex

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028 PUBLIC SPACES

○1 Superkilen Topotek 1, BIG, Superflex

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030 PUBLIC SPACES

○1 Superkilen Topotek 1, BIG, Superflex

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032 PUBLIC SPACES

○1 Superkilen Topotek 1, BIG, Superflex

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034 PUBLIC SPACES

○1 Superkilen Topotek 1, BIG, Superflex

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Engineer: Niras Art in architecture: Morten Stræde Client: City of Copenhagen Completion: 2014 Site area: 12,500 m2 Use: Public square with underground car park

2

Israels Plads, Linnésgade, Indre By #israelsplads

Cobe, Sweco Architects

Flying Carpet Israels Plads

The history of Israels Plads (Israel’s Square) is exemplary of the transformation of public spaces taking place in Copenhagen. Once part of the city’s fortification ring, the square became a lively meeting place as the city expanded. It was previously the home of Grønttorvet, a major market for fresh produce known for its special atmosphere. Due to the increase in traffic around the market and growing logistics needs, the market was relocated and the once bustling square degenerated into an inner-city eyesore and occasional parking lot. A change was triggered by the decision to erect two covered market halls on the site; evoking the aura of the old vegetable market, they aim to offer locals and visitors new culinary

037

experiences. The market halls were accompanied by a redevelopment concept for all of Israel Plads, which is just north of Ørsteds­ parken (Ørsted’s Park). The winning competition concept envisaged a “flying carpet” spread across the entire square; the cars would be “swept under the rug” with underground parking. Organically shaped areas are punched out of the surface to provide a variety of public recreational functions. At the centre of the square is an egg-shaped area used by nearby schools as an extended recreational zone for all age groups. The sloping sides of the sunken playing field can serve both as a barrier and as seating. A variety of additional areas offer opportunities for fun and play, such as the skater park south of the sports field. Wedge-shaped staircases at the western and eastern corners of the square offer a good view from an elevated position. Green circles with grass, trees, and benches complement the recreational facilities and function as a continuation of the adjacent Ørsted’s Park. Round stepping stones and footbridges lead over a rainwater course that flows into the park. As the distance from the park increases, the density of greenery decreases, until the square becomes part of the urban space. The granite surface is bordered by a steel frame that has small integrated ramps. Altogether Israels Plads is an informal, uncoded space that enables the public to enjoy urban life.

038 PUBLIC SPACES

The former market square was used from the 1950s to the 1990s as a large, inner-city parking area for cars.

The transformation of the public square focuses on its revitalization as a living urban space.

2 Israels Plads Cobe, Sweco Architects ○

An underground parking garage now takes the place of above-­­ground parking.

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Site plan, scale 1:5000

1 Bicycle parking

2 Israels Plads Cobe, Sweco Architects ○

2 Sports field 3 Tribune

4 Entrance to car park

5 Skate bowl

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2 Israels Plads Cobe, Sweco Architects ○

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2 Israels Plads Cobe, Sweco Architects ○

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Dan Stubbergaard of Cobe in conversation with Sandra Hofmeister

Architecture and Social Interaction

KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

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Dan Stubbergaard founded Cobe in 2006; today his studio operates as a think tank with 150 employees from around the world. Cobe’s expertise spans well-considered masterplans and public space interventions to spectacular conversions and new buildings. Many of Cobe’s projects are just a stone’s throw away from its office in a converted warehouse in Nordhavn, the site of the largest urban development project in northern Europe. For Dan Stubbergaard, architecture’s relationship to the public and the communal qualities of public space are a central focus of equal importance in private and public projects alike.

You grew up and studied in Copenhagen. Do you have a favourite building in the Danish capital? Yes, it is Grundtvig’s Church by P. V. Jensen Klint. Built in the 1920s, it’s an example of early Danish ­modernism. As a child, I often went there with my grand­father to take flowers to the grave of my great-grandparents. I remember how astonishing it was to experience the building – it was a place where I learned to understand the power of architecture. I still visit this church from time to time. You can feel the gravity of all those yellow brick walls. It’s a wonderful place of quiet and an important architectural monument. 048 PUBLIC SPACES

A recent book on Cobe’s projects in Copenhagen is called Our Urban Living Room. What is the significance of its title? There are two ways to read it. First, cities are increasingly becoming a kind of common living room for everybody. In Copenhagen, we are overwhelmed by our own success in terms of this phenomenon, thanks to some great masterminds. The book and the exhibition of the same name point to how we are spending much more of our time in public spaces than in our private living rooms. All sorts of activities are being moved from the home out into the city, which offers a variety of settings in Copenhagen. Second, Our Urban Living Room also stands for a more

holistic view of the city. A living room is a very private place, but adding “our urban” shifts the concept entirely. The notion then refers to social spaces, creating spaces for everybody, and approaches the city as a whole. Private rooms in general, and living rooms in particular, are cosy places. They are the spaces in our home that we give a lot of love and attention to. We buy nice things to fill them and create nice corners where we can sit. Why can’t we do the same for our city? To give it love and to care about the public spaces?

“We put a lot of love and ­attention into our home. Why can’t we do the same for our city?”

Interview Dan Stubbergaard / Cobe

Do you see a significant shift in the balance between private and public spaces nowadays? Yes, I think there is, especially here in the Nordic region of Europe where we don’t have such nice weather as in southern Europe. When I was a child, for instance, social life mainly took place at home. Nowadays it’s entirely different. You see your friends at the local library, on a plaza in your neighbourhood, or at other public spaces – like our office. Here at Cobe, we opened a small public café because we wanted to create an open environment and a small living room for the neighbourhood and community of the Nordhavn area. You and your team have recently designed a lot of public spaces in Copenhagen. What is your approach to traffic? Infrastructure had a very important role in defining our cities from the 1950s to the 1980s. Public spaces and the zones between buildings became carscapes, and this affected everyday life. But today we know that we have to combine infrastructure with the public quality of urban space. Be it a bicycle parking lot, a metro station, or a streetscape, you need to insist that all infrastructure is also a social and public space. We have had this attitude from the very beginning. We work with the space between the buildings, and combine the hardcore pragmatic functions of infrastructure with the quality of public space, the human scale, and quality of life. I think this approach 049

is now a common way of developing new infrastructure in our city.

things, and involve the public in the design process. On the other hand – and that’s where all the energy as an Let’s have a look at Israels Plads. architect is hidden – you spend four After your intervention, it became or five years designing and building, a public gathering space for the fighting for ideas, and moderating community. Many young and old conflicts with clients or contractors. people are involved in different There is a long way to go from the activities there. As an architect, first idea to completion. Then the how do you enliven public spaces magic happens when people involve through planning? How can themselves in the space you have created. Israels Plads is the biggest you ensure that people actually embrace the space and make it public space in Copenhagen. But it’s also a schoolyard shared by two their own? You never know, to be quite frank. schools – we argued that it should On the one hand, we anticipate be an open space nevertheless. The

050 Public Spaces

A visit to Cobe: The architects’ studio is located in a former warehouse building in the Nordhavn (North Harbour) district.

Copenhagen has reactivated its harbour sites. There are a lot of new waterfront zones and none of them is exclusively private or closed to the public. You have built a number of projects in these areas. Can you tell us a little bit about the mixture of private investors and public interests? The Copenhagen harbour is where you can get the best picture of the city’s transformation from a sleepy, poor industrial town in the 1980s to the growing, dynamic city it is today. There used to be a lot of industry located around the harbour, and so the city turned its back Many of the public spaces designed by Cobe have inclined to those areas. By cleaning the water zones and ramps. Their design in the harbour so people can swim creates a topography with small in it, and by treating the harbour hills in a flat city. zones as a “blue park” for the whole city rather than a bleak industrial There are some practical issues in this: you can inscribe functionality site, the whole identity of the city changed. Today, the harbour is both onto these topographies, like the a very protected and a very public bicycle hills at Karen Blixens Plads. place. The areas around it offer There we double programmed high-quality waterfront living, and bicycle parking and a landscape opportunities to swim or gather to with recreational value. In general, watch the sunset. This is where the we often use topography to create an environment where people can city opens up to offer wide views. It’s also now the most attractive interact in a spontaneous way – places where they can sit, skate, and area to live and the most expensive place to buy an apartment. The gather. Copenhagen has a lack of topography, which is why we need to city’s masterplans stipulate that all create it. Simply walking up a small harbourfront areas must not only be accessible to the public but also hill that is only 5 metres high is a huge experience here in Copenhagen! activated by the public. You cannot It would probably not make as much privatize the harbourfront, but you sense to create an artificial topogra- can combine public activities with phy in Norway, for example, where offices or private flats. you have mountains.

actual schoolyard is located on an elevated zone on the plaza, and all of the school kids know that they shouldn’t leave that area. We created a discrete boundary, and that’s how we persuaded the school to have a safe zone in the middle of the city and an open environment at the same time. It’s important to understand urban design as a platform for testing things and pushing our society and social behaviour beyond learned conventions. The challenge for us architects is to offer to new ways of living together and to foster a lively everyday life.

Interview Dan Stubbergaard / Cobe

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Is that also the concept for Paper Island, one of your ongoing projects in the city? I think we won the competition because our design proposed a fantastic, open, ground-level space for culture and social activities as a city attraction. Above this, we have private spaces. Sometimes there are conflicts between very private and very public spaces regarding ownership, noise, and so on. But we have to handle this and find solutions.

The office as a public space: Neighbours and visitors are welcome at Cobe.

052 Public Spaces

Then there is the challenge of reactivating and refurbishing old harbour buildings – such as with your transformation of a former grain silo into a residential building. What is your view on the cultural heritage of historic harbour buildings? I would like for my kids or grandkids to know that this was once an industrial harbour. Copenhagen was a harbour city for 800 years. The whole city developed from it. We shouldn’t erase cultural history and the city’s legacy by tearing down old buildings or landmarks. Every time we do a project at the harbour, we assess whether we can highlight the historical structures by transforming them instead of taking them down. The Silo was an existing harbour building which had value and embedded resources. By converting the existing concrete structure rather than demolishing it and building something new, we saved 5,622 tonnes of concrete: 2,740 cubic metres of concrete were reused, the

equivalent of 380 tonnes of embedded CO2. In my opinion, architects should have a mindful approach in dealing with resources. The challenge is to use preexisting structures by redesigning or transforming them. In doing so, we can give added value to structures that already have an inherent architectural quality and embedded climate resources.

and the same kind of architecture being implemented in all the important development areas. This is causing the city to lose some of its diversity and the distinct identity of the different neighbourhoods. I’m worried about that, and I think we as architects have to take responsibility. It could also be that the city is not insisting strongly enough on fostering diversity. For instance, the Nordhavn area has several islands, Do you have any recommendations for future urban developand each of them should have a strong, unique identity. But I observe ment? the same type of people moving in For fast-developing cities the size everywhere: the rich upper class. of Copenhagen or even larger, it’s I am convinced that we should make important to plan for diversity in ­social but also in architectural terms. an effort to create more socially diverse neighbourhoods. In my eyes, What I see here in Copenhagen is an insistence on the same planning this is a crucial challenge for the future. methods, the same planning logic,

○ ○ 2 Israels Plads ↪

p. 036  3 Red Cross Volunteer  House p. 054  4 Nørreport Station p. 060  21 The Silo p. 242  22 Krøyers Plads p. 250

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Interview Dan Stubbergaard / Cobe

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Engineer: Søren Jensen Blegdamsvej 27, Nørrebro­ Landscape design: Cobe; PK3 @rodekorsdk Client: Røde Kors; A.P. Møller og Hustru #redcrossvolunteerhouse Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til Almene Formål Completion: 2017 Floor area: 750 m2 Use: Conference rooms, workshop spaces, exhibitions, gastronomy Number of users: Approx. 500 volunteers and visitors per month

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Cobe

Step Up to Hang Out Red Cross Volunteer House

The headquarters of the Danish Red Cross (Røde Kors) is inconspicuous at first glance – a typical brick building with two upper floors, nestled between the newly opened St. Trianglen metro station and a large hospital complex, with Fælledparken park behind it. The Red Cross international aid federation not only provides emergency relief to people during disasters; local chapters focus mainly on social and humanitarian issues. Volunteer work is key in this respect; the Danish Red Cross relies on the support of approximately 34,000 volunteers. Today, a striking sculptural staircase fills a space that, until the opening of the new building, was occupied by the cars of Red Cross staff and visitors. The eye-catching extension of the Red Cross

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Volunteer House was created in close dialogue between the architects and representatives of the Danish Red Cross and its  volunteers. With a roof in the form of a large staircase, the asymmetrical, triangular volume functions as a public meeting place that connects the streetscape with the existing buildings. Two openings cut into the volume mark the new main entrance and allow natural light to illuminate the underground spaces. Although floor space is limited, a clever use of the resulting room heights accommodates a comprehensive spatial programme. In addition to the new main entrance with a lobby and access to existing offices, exhibition areas and a café are open to the public along the narrow side of the building. To the west, the space beneath the steps descends to an auditorium, taking advantage of the site’s topography. A sunken courtyard garden fills the space between the old and the new buildings. Generous glazing, marking the transition from inside to outside, brings daylight into the interior, where the wide steps of the terraced auditorium provide both access and seating. With additional seating, the space can accommodate up to 100 people for meetings, presentations, and training courses. More private conference rooms are available for smaller groups, while seating niches embedded in the corridor walls invite people to linger. A minimal mix of materials characterize the building, with pale timber surfaces corresponding to exposed concrete and yellow brick. The open, inviting architecture not only creates a space for Red Cross volunteers to meet and share knowledge, but also celebrates civic engagement by creating a new public space that can be enjoyed by all.

056 PUBLIC SPACES

Site plan, scale 1:2000

3 Red Cross Volunteer House Cobe ○

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Section, floor plan, scale 1:750

1 Entrance 2 Café

3 Auditorium 5 Administration 4 Green courtyard

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3 3

2 1

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Ground floor a a

5 5

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a a

Basement level

3 Red Cross Volunteer House Cobe ○

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Engineer: Sweco Traffic planning: Rambøll Light design: Bartenbach LichtLabor Client: Banedanmark; DSB; City of Copenhagen Completion: 2015 Site area: 10,000 m² Number of users: Approx. 250,000 people per day Use: Infrastructure

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Nørre Voldgade, Indre By #nørreportstation

Cobe, Gottlieb ­Paludan Architects

Floating Roofs and Bicycle Islands Nørreport Station

When it first opened in 1918, Nørreport station was already an important transport hub in Copenhagen. Pedestrians and bicyclists dominated the above-ground landscape at the time. But nearly 100 years later, the changing times had clearly left its mark on the station. Long-distance and regional trains as well as the suburban and inner-city metro meet here underground at various levels – as do pedestrians, cyclists, bus lines, and car traffic above ground. A necessary renovation of the infrastructure gave reason to reconsider the spatial situation and to transform the chaotic location into an inviting urban landmark.

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An extensive structural analysis, in which the daily routes of the various users were tracked and mapped onto a site model, served as the basis for its redesign. As a first step, car traffic – which had previously cut off the station like an island between two lanes – was reduced to a single lane. This made it possible to develop the station square as an extended public space, while ensuring its connection to the city centre. Dimensions, positions, and the design of the various elements – from access and infrastructure to recreational areas and bicycle stands – were tried and tested. Today, six pavilions made of raw concrete are arranged between the flow lines on the extensive square, marking access to the underground tracks (stairs, escalators, and elevators) and related service points. Beneath the flat, organically shaped roofs are glazed elements housing ticket counters, kiosks, and sanitary facilities. Their amorphous forms prevent unattractive backsides, while the high degree of transparency fosters a sense of orientation and safety for pedestrians. Solar cells on the green roofs contribute to the station’s power supply, while the plants absorb CO2 from the air. A clever solution was found to handle the large number of bicycles: the architects lowered the ground surface by approx. 40  centimetres to create sunken islands of different sizes, which are outfitted with inclined bicycle racks to provide space for up to 2,500 parked bicycles. The bicycle lots are accessed by ramps, and are indicated by a change of pavement from paving stones to a nonslip concrete surface. This visual sense of order fosters an intuitive orientation in the urban space, underpinned by the lighting concept. Ventilation ducts from the underground track levels double as individually controllable light columns, which guide visitors across the square or offer a space to rest, thanks to the integrated benches. Despite the various structural demands, a high-quality urban space was created that is much more than a mere transit station.

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4 Nørreport Station Cobe, Gottlieb ­Paludan Architects ○

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4 Nørreport Station Cobe, Gottlieb ­Paludan Architects ○

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Engineer: Cowi; Systra; Rambøll Client: Metroselkabet Completion: 2019 Use: Metro stations Scope: 17 stations covering 15.5 km Number of users: Approx. 240,000 people per day

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🌐 intl.m.dk #cityringen

Arup

Underground Network Cityringen

One of the ways in which Copenhagen is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2025 is by expanding its current metro network. Short, autonomous trains running at a high frequency will reduce commuting times and, through the strategic connection of new urban development areas, make individual car traffic in the city superfluous. The new Cityringen (ring line) already connects the current metro and suburban railway network and the city centre with the districts of Vesterbro, Nørrebro, Østerbro, and Frederiksberg. The expansion to the north and south is expected to be complete by 2024. In order to link the design of the 17 new stations to the existing metro stations while meeting the demand for a recognizable

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identity, a modular system was developed that was used in all stations. Simulations showed an ideal underground volume of approx. 65 x 20 x 20 metres, based on the selected train length, necessary access routes, and integration into the urban building structure. The construction system was designed for efficiency, based on a repetition of elements and components. However, challenges such as high groundwater levels and proximity to historic buildings made construction difficult. Each station follows the same principles. Service-oriented elements, such as ticket machines, info desks, transfer points, and in some cases, integrated bicycle parking, are located on an intermediate level. Newsstands, shops, and sanitary facilities are not included there, because the time spent underground should be as short as possible. Escalators and staircases lead to the track level, and are stacked above each other in a tall atrium to avoid the claustrophobia of enclosed spaces. This is also where the elevator is located, which leads from the tracks directly to the surface and points to the stop next to the metro’s distinctive sign. In order to anchor the stations more firmly in their respective urban context, each station has unique cladding on its inner facades. A standard grid of 5.5 metres was chosen for all stations and finds iteration even in small tile formats, while enabling variation in the choice of material – such as natural stone, ceramic tiles, glass, or handmade brickwork. A special feature of the architecture is the availability of natural light reaching all the way down to track level through bespoke aluminium skylights built into the ceiling with an origami-like fold. The reflective metal scatters the light and directs it into the space. These are supplemented by targeted artificial lighting and narrow LED strips under the escalators to create a pleasant atmosphere and visual orientation. The skylights also fulfil another function: in the event of fire they draw out the smoke, thereby reducing the amount of high-maintenance technology used in the stations.

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Engineer: Rambøll Landscape design: Witraz Arkitekter Client: Municipality of Copenhagen Completion: 2013 (plaza), 2016 (pavilion) Site area: 3,000 m2 Covered area: 628 m2 Use: Public space, culture

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Øresundsvej 8, Amager Øst #musiktorvet

Effekt ­Arkitekter

Open-Air Culture Musiktorvet

The history of the cultural complex in Amager Øst goes back to a cinema built in the 1940s. After its closure in the late 1980s, the City of Copenhagen, in consultation with the city council and the cinema owners, reached an agreement to repurpose it as a cultural centre. Together with the adjoining buildings, it is now part of the largest music and cultural complex in Copenhagen. This includes a venue for alternative music as well as a community centre for senior citizens, a children’s cultural centre (see p. 210), and various offerings for visitors of all ages. A neighbouring music club and music studios as well as performing arts facilities for children and teens complement the offerings of the cultural complex.

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What connects the various spaces is the common outdoor space of the Musiktorvet (Music Plaza). Like radiating sound waves, a graphic black-and-white image adorning the asphalt surface of the square spreads out from the central building in all directions. At the southern part of the site, the ground slopes up to become a hill with integrated wooden seating blocks, forming a contemporary amphitheatre. The streetside measures are even more dramatic. Developed in dialogue with users and local residents, the large forecourt was transformed into an urban arena where culture, creativity, and everyday urban life can unfold. A roof made of perforated alumin­ ium panels seems to float above five steel columns. Stretching out between them is a weather-protected area surrounded by a flexible steel curtain, which wraps around the volume and can be open or closed as needed. The result is a sophisticated merging of the pavilion’s interior and exterior, without obstructing the view. The gentle slope of the ground towards the street creates a kind of open-air stage which doubles as a natural barrier to pedestrian and street traffic. The dynamic, open space allows for a variety of scenarios, including concerts, theatre and circus performances, flea markets, fashion shows, cultural events, and a play area for the children of the adjacent residential areas. Next to the café, sculptural wooden furniture and planters create an inviting landscape. The notion of the “urban living room” applies here most impressively.

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Cycling ­Culture and Quality of Life Sandra Hofmeister

KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

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Bicycles are an omnipresent feature of Copenhagen’s urban landscape, shaping the character and feel of the city. Cycling culture has been embraced by all ages and is part of the way of life along the Øresund. The city’s approach is also being heralded as a future-forward model for other large cities. Copenhagen is a cycling city. The impressive facts and figures speak for themselves: 63 % of all city dwellers use their bike to get to work, school, or other learning institution. Four out of five households own bicycles. There are 5.6 bikes for every car in Copenhagen, and the trend is rising. On the major inner-city thoroughfares such as Nørrebrogade, more bicycles than cars congregate at peak times. At rush hour, the traffic lights in the city centre are timed for “green waves” so cyclists going a certain speed never hit red. Bicycle traffic flows along wide, multilane bike paths. Bridges over the harbour basin serve as shortcuts connecting the city quarters. Coming in from the suburbs, cyclists can use one of the dedicated bike highways that follow the railway lines into the city. Copenhagen is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Its cycling culture contributes strongly to the quality of life there, where ecology and leisure meet. In 2008, the city government captured its proud identity as a cycling capital in a catchy logo: I bike CPH. As a phenomenon of society as a whole, cycling culture is being actively promoted with effective measures by politicians and city administrators, citizens, associations, as well as urban planners and architects. In principle, the concepts for this can be traced back to the Danish urban planner Jan Gehl and his idea of making “cities for people”. The paradigm shift from the car city to a bicycle-friendly city may be an ongoing process in many cities, but the Danish capital has taken on the pioneering role in this development. Delegations from all over the world come regularly to learn from Copenhagen. The city’s longstanding cycling expertise makes it a role model that is also being followed by Paris, Barcelona, Montreal, and Detroit. The prestigious Copenhagenize Index assesses the bicycle-friendliness of major cities around the world, with the ranking managed by a multidisciplinary international team of experts who advise cities and municipalities on how to promote cycling culture. “Copenhagenize” means promoting cycling in everyday life, following the example of the Danish capital, and developing the relevant infrastructure. 084 Public Spaces

Five years ago, the Danish capital overtook Amsterdam for first place in the Copenhagenize Index ranking. But politicians are setting their ambitious goals higher: by 2025 Copenhagen is to be the first-ever carbon neutral capital city, and switching from cars to bicycles plays a decisive role. Municipal transport policy operates according to a

compass that everyone can follow. Fewer cars and more bicycles mean less CO2 pollution and less noise, as well as fewer accidents and healthier citizens. On top of that, it is cheaper to invest in transport infrastructure for bicycles than for cars. Every two years, the city’s “Bicycle Account” assesses the city’s progress in becoming a city for cyclists. The city draws on the compiled statistics to implement targeted programmes, backed up by the relevant budget allocations. In 2011, the City Council almost unanimously adopted the action plan “Good, Better, Best. The City of Copenhagen’s Cycling Culture and Quality of Life Sandra Hofmeister

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Bicycle Strategy 2011–2025”. Among other things, the targets aim to increase the proportion of bicycle commuters to 50 % and to expand the inner-city cycle path network by 80 %. The infrastructure for cyclists in Copenhagen is already unique. The public bike-sharing programme, Bycyklen, offers about 2,000 electric bikes for rental at 130 stations around the city. Bicycles can be transported free of charge on local transport; the underground and suburban trains have their own bicycle carriages. On main roads, cycle lanes are 4 metres wide, and busy bike routes have three lanes. Railings and footrests give cyclists a foothold at red lights without having to get off the saddle. Public pump stations are installed along bike paths throughout the city centre. The bicycle parking spaces in

Copenhagen’s long-standing cycling expertise makes it a model for cities around the world to follow.

public areas are illuminated with LEDs at night. At Nørreport Station, they were lowered 40 centimetres from the level of the square to integrate better into the landscape. Dangerous intersections are being consistently reconfigured to be bike-friendly, and dedicated bicycle bridges offer shortcuts to reduce travel times. In the last decade alone, 12 new bicycle and pedestrian bridges were built in Copenhagen. The Cirkelbroen (Circle Bridge, photo on pp. 18–19) in Christianshavn, designed by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, opened in 2015. It connects the Christiansbro district with Applebys Plads and closes the gap in the continuous pedestrian path that runs along the water’s edge from Islands Brygge to Inderhavnsbroen ­(Inner Harbour Bridge) and into Nyhavn (New Harbour). Each of the five differently sized, irregularly joined circular platforms of the Cirkelbroen features masts that are reminiscent of the ships that navigate the waterways. The Dybbølsbro bridge, with its 5.5-metre-wide cycle lanes in both directions, is used by 22,000 cyclists every day. The Cykelslangen (“bicycle snake”, photo on p. 87), designed by the architects of Dissing+Weitling – together with the Bryggebroen (Quay Bridge) – creates a continuous cycling route connecting Dybbølsbro 086 Public Spaces

Cykelslangen by Dissing+Weitling is one of the many bridges optimizing the city’s bike traffic.

Cycling Culture and Quality of Life Sandra Hofmeister

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Bicycle superhighways connect the surrounding countryside with the capital. More than 750 kilometres of cycle paths are to be built by 2045.

Completed Financing secured Planned

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with Islands Brygge. Between Kalvebod Brygge and Havneholmen, cyclists wind their way along 30-metre-long ramps elevated 7 metres above the ground. The orange-coloured paving of the 190  metre-­ long steel bridge is illuminated at night, and has served as a symbol of Copenhagen’s cycling culture since opening in 2014. As part of the city’s ambition to become carbon neutral, the administration also set up a network of Cycling “superhighways” for commuters. This growing network of dedicated cycling lanes gives residents of the surrounding municipalities, such as Allerød, Alberts­ lund, Ishoj, and Værløse, good reasons to switch from cars to bikes. The results of this programme are already impressive: the number of people who cycle to work has increased by 23 % since 2011. 34 % of commuters in the capital region now use bicycles, and the number is growing. The superhighways offer smooth routes into the city undisturbed by traffic lights. They are well-lit at night and equipped with bicycle stations where pumps and emergency phones are available. The aim of the programme, funded by the participating municipalities and the Danish government, is to build a total of 750 kilometres of bicycle highway by 2045. Action plans and surveys, citizens’ initiatives, and long-term targets show that Copenhagen’s transition to carbon neutrality is in full swing. What was once an industrial city on the brink of bankruptcy has been transformed into a lively and dynamic metropolis. This has been achieved through the creation of public spaces where aesthetics and cycling infrastructure go hand in hand, contributing to a better quality of life for all.

Cycling Culture and Quality of Life Sandra Hofmeister

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Dæmonen at Tivoli: Opened in 2004, the steel looping roller coaster is one of the many attractions at

the amusement park and pleasure garden located in central Copenhagen.

Tivoli Gardens

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Good water quality makes the many harbour baths and bathing areas

in the city popular meeting places in summer.

Islands Brygge Harbour Bath Plot

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Amager Strandpark is only 5 kilometres from the town hall. Completed in 2005, the 60-hectare public area on the

Øresund is located on an artificial island off the coast.

Amager Strandpark

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Engineer: Rambøll; MOE Landscape design: SLA Facade planning: Lüchinger + Meyer Client: Amager Resource Center Completion: 2018 Floor area: 41,000 m2 Landscape/ski slope: 10,000 m2 Use: Waste incineration, sport/ recreation

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Vindmøllevej 6, Amager Øst 🌐copenhill.dk @copenhilldk #copenhill

BIG

Function Meets Fun Amager Bakke

Copenhagen has set itself high goals in terms of sustainability. It aims to be the first carbon neutral capital city in the world by 2025. To achieve this goal, existing technologies must be re-evaluated, including public waste management infrastructures. The waste incineration plant at the industrial port of Amager, for example, no longer met current requirements for energy efficiency and occupational safety standards. In order to supply 140,000 urban households with electricity and district heating, the plant’s operator launched an international competition for the design of a new facility building. The area around the industrial port is still relatively unattractive, dominated by production facilities and port infrastructure that alternate

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with areas converted for sports and leisure activities. But the area itself is valuable: this is the site of the city’s next major development area – which is why an attractive building should increase its acceptance by future residents. The architects at BIG took the functional structure inside the high-tech plant – such as waste delivery, the furnace system, the heat exchanger, and the flue gas cleaning system – and reorganized it. The new arrangement of the machines, according to their overall height, results in a sloping roof, which gave the building its name: Amager Bakke (Amager Hill). Inside, a complex steel structure fills the space above the machines. In addition, an educational centre for tours, workshops, and sustainability conferences as well as the administrative offices are distributed over ten levels. The large building is wrapped in a sculptural facade, which varies in appearance according to the position of the sun. Aluminium bricks, measuring 1.2 metres tall by 3.3 metres wide, interlock to form the self-supporting facade. Between them, windows illuminate the spaces inside. But the real highlight is on the roof of the facility. All year round, visitors can glide down CopenHill, an artificial ski piste 400 metres in length with inclines from 14 to 45 degrees and different levels of difficulty. To create it, the 9,000-square-metre roof was covered with a plastic mesh, coated with a silicone gel for the slick experience, while allowing grass to grow through the perforated surface. In addition to skiing down the green piste, visitors can take in the views along the hiking and running trail alongside it, whose biodiverse landscaping increases the appeal of the waste-to-energy plant. Even the facility’s ventilation and aeration elements were designed to fit harmoniously into the landscape, giving the impression of rising fog.

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Engineer: Niras; Sloth Møller Client: City of Copenhagen Completion: 2014 Effective area: 4,200 m2 Use: Outdoor pool, park, waterfront promenade

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Kalvebod Brygge, Vesterbro #kalvebodbølge

Urban Agency, JDS Architects

Swimming in the Harbour Kalvebod Bølge

Using existing sources of water in the city for leisure activities is becoming increasingly popular. However, it is surprising that this is possible in a harbour suffering from industrial pollution for over five decades. Recognizing the potential of its harbourfront areas early on, Copenhagen started selling off property in the 1980s to develop modern office and business districts. The “Blue Plan” programme was also introduced, which included the designation of waterfront recreational areas to improve the harbour’s water quality. Its underlying aim: to create attractive urban space by revitalizing the harbour basins and making space for recreation, culture, and houseboats. The city’s first harbour bath opened in 2002, with a more permanent

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design by PLOT taking its place the year after. Close to Islands Brygge, the floating swimming facility now features a series of decks that connect to form an extended platform. The outdoor pool is free of charge and quickly became a hotspot for Copenhageners. An unused waterfront area lay directly opposite the bath on the side of the city centre, not far from the Tivoli amusement park, the BLOX cultural centre, and various international companies. Today this is the site of Kalvebod Bølge (Kalvebod Waves), an undulating sculptural promenade. The complex stretches out over the water like a park landscape, leading back to land with walkways that rise to different levels. Benches, play areas, and lookout points invite visitors to linger. What may seem coincidental follows a precise plan. Rough winds in the exposed location were considered in the positioning, as well as the course of the sun and the shadows created by surrounding buildings. The path of the promenade creates two triangular water basins, each intended for different watersport activities. While the northern promenade is reserved for swimmers, the southern basin is for boats. A kayak and canoe club as well as a floating mini-hotel for canoeists share the adjoining service facilities. To complement the urban space available on land, a broad platform can be used to host various cultural events. The design of the artificial park landscape took inspiration from old industrial harbours for its choice of materials and colours. Concrete platforms raised above the water on stilts form the promenade, which is planked with robust, untreated pine wood. This is contrasted by slender railings with integrated lighting, reminiscent of maritime architecture. Only the neon orange playscape installed on the floating plaza breaks with the reduced material concept. The site’s cradle-to-cradle design approach ensures that all materials can be separated by type at the end of their service life so they can be recycled or reused.

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Rides, restaurants, and cultural activities make Tivoli a popular destination for all ages.

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From Tivoli to the Harbour Bath Sandra Hofmeister

KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

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Copenhagen already had an exciting leisure landscape in the 19th century. The amusement park Kjøbenhavns Tivoli og Vauxhall was founded by Georg Carstensen on a former military grounds, initially provided as a five-year charter by King Christian VIII. It featured restaurants, bandstands, amusement rides, and flower gardens – it was even illuminated at night. Right from its opening in 1843, the concept was a great success. Today, the amusement park is one of the oldest in the world and is well integrated into the cityscape. Every year, around 4.5 million visitors flock to the 8-hectare area between Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square) and the central railway station. The original name was a reference to the locations that inspired it – Jardin de Tivoli in Paris and Vauxhall Gardens in London – today the amusement park is simply called “Tivoli”. The eponymous city near Rome, famed for its Renaissance gardens at Villa d’Este, was a source of inspiration for the famous pleasure garden in Copen­ hagen’s city centre. Tivoli drew visitors with its exotic attractions early on, such as a Japanese pagoda (previously called Chinese Pagoda), an open-air pantomime theatre, palm trees and fountains, revues, and rides such as a roller coaster made of wood, which opened in 1914. In 1933, Louis Armstrong performed with his band at the concert hall; the first film footage ever of the jazz giant was recorded during his performance there of the song “I Cover the Waterfront”, and remains an important historical document today. In 1944, Nazi sympathizers, recognizing Tivoli as a place of cultural resistance, burned down many of the buildings. That same year in July, protests against the German occupation culminated in a general strike which is said to have been triggered in part by the destruction of the Tivoli. In the post-war era, the amusement business at Tivoli took off. Walt Disney was inspired to create his Disneyland theme park after experiencing Tivoli during a visit to Copenhagen in 1951. Tivoli’s historic main entrance is a reminder of its 19th-century oriental themes. Gaming booths, a casino, cafés, and its own brewery attract tourists and Copenhageners alike – along with a hall of mirrors and fast-paced rides such as the Dæmonen (The Demon) looping roller coaster. Tivoli Gardens has hosted concerts by renowned performers such as singer Tom Jones. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe is not only a guest of honour at its Pantomime Theatre, she has regularly designed its stage sets and costumes. There are many other stories to be told about Tivoli which link closely to the history of the city. But in the extensive chapter on leisure in the city’s history, which continues to be written, there are other important places and protagonists as well. 116

Sports and Leisure

With the shift from an industrial city to an eco-conscious capital, not only has quality of life improved, but also the water quality. This can be experienced from South Harbour to the Inner Harbour in the city centre, and North Harbour, once the city’s main industrial and commercial port – thanks to targeted measures in wastewater management and modernization of the sewerage system. Today, living on the waterfront is integral to the city’s image. Public promenades and recreational parks are being created along the edges of the canals and harbour basins, inviting people to linger far removed from the traffic. New waterfront residential locations are more popular than ever, and their price per square metre on the real estate market has skyrocketed. The improved water quality – many places in Copenhagen are regularly awarded the Blue Flag quality seal, the European Union’s highest award for clean water – has also enabled a revival of the city’s centuries-old tradition of harbour baths. In 1953, the last harbour swimming pool was closed due to poor water quality. In 2003, Islands Brygge opened as the first new municipal bathing establishment at the harbour, just south of Langebro bridge. With a five pools and a lawn for lounging, picnicking, and barbecuing, the location quickly became an urban hotspot. The Islands Brygge bath, along with its wooden walkways and diving towers, were designed

With its many attractions, Tivoli was a great success with the public from the very start. Postcard, ca. 1850.

From Tivoli to the Harbour Bath Sandra Hofmeister

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Islands Brygge ­Harbour Bath is one of many public swimming pools and leisure areas in the city.

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Sports and Leisure

by Plot, the former architectural studio of Bjarke Ingels and Julien de Smedt. In 2003, the two were part of a young, dynamic generation of architects that became an international sensation. Today Copenhagen has three harbour baths, several bathing zones, and a number of bathing beaches. At Fisketorvet harbour pool in Vesterbro, people can swim up alongside the shopping centre – Copenhageners call the open-air pool “Copencabana”. Svanemølle Beach, which opened in 2010, is located by a power station in Østerbro, in the north of the city. One year later, the Sluseholmen harbour baths, designed by Kasper Danielsen Arkitekter, were added to the artificial peninsula in the South Harbour. Copenhagen has used the revitalization of its harbour areas to help realize its vision of a city for the people. One aspect of this overarching agenda are the waterfront leisure facilities that are being established in beach sections close to the city, such as Amager Strandpark (Beach Park). The approximately 60-hectare protected recreational area is located on an artificial offshore peninsula that juts into the Øresund. It is within cycling distance of City Hall and only three metro stops away from the city centre. With a 4.6-kilometre-long sandy beach, a dune landscape, promenades, as well as two parks – Tiøren and Femøren – Amager Strandpark is a popular excursion and leisure destination for bathers and beyond.

From Tivoli to the Harbour Bath Sandra Hofmeister

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Architecture in collaboration with: 5e byg; Søren Jensen Engineering Facade design: RAMA Studio Client: By & Havn Completion: 2016 Roof area: 2,400 m2 Use: Car park, sport/recreation Parking spaces: 485

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­ elsinkigade 30, Nordhavn H #konditagetlüders

JAJA ­Architects

Car Park Meets Playground Park ’n’ Play

Although the number of cyclists in the Danish capital is very high, there is still a need for car parking in the newly developing residential areas. In the Nordhavn (North Harbour) development area, which consists of a relatively dense mix of converted industrial complexes and new buildings, parking areas were integrated into the urban development concept. Being so close to the water, the best spots for parking lots is above ground. The eight-level Konditaget Lüders car park also includes bicycle stands, a supermarket, and a recycling station on the ground floor. An additional competition for the design of the car park’s facades and roof was held to find solutions for how functional structures could double as attractive public spaces with areas for sports and play.

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Instead of disguising the function, the winning concept proposed to take up the interior’s grid-like structure while simultaneously breaking up the large volume. In reference to the brick buildings of the surrounding area, red-coloured concrete surfaces alternate with facade elements made of Corten steel. Plant troughs installed at regular intervals along the facade gives rhythm to the surface. Its appearance invokes the port area’s industrial past. The design of stairway used to access the rooftop drew inspiration from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, where the visitors route through tubes containing the stairs and escalators is an experience in itself. Two staircases wind their way around the volume from street level up to the roof. Every step offers a new view of the surrounding buildings and out to the sea. At the top is a 2,400-square-metre playground designed for all ages. Developed in cooperation with the Danish Sports Association, the outdoor recreational studio includes fitness equipment and diverse areas for play and relaxation, such as embedded trampolines and hills made of rubber granulate, running tracks for short sprints, a large climbing spiral with nets and swings, and green areas with benches. All of the equipment is coloured in various shades of red. Like a literal red thread, a steel pipe bends and curves many times to guide visitors through the project – from the facade along the stairs to the roof and back again. Park ’n’ Play draws local residents and visitors alike, who are looking to take advantage of this unique recreational rooftop.

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Engineer: Wessberg Client: Lejerbo Completion: 2010 Floor area: 525 m2 Use: Community centre, sports field

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­Vermundsgade 43, Nørrebro

Rambøll

Multigenerational Meeting Place Aktivitetshus

The Copenhagen district of Nørrebro is a multicultural melting pot. Its vibrant mix of students, young families, and migrants appreciate the pulsating life in public space. But this was not always the case, as shown by the monotonous housing estates built around the 1900s as housing for workers at the nearby factories. Although many vacant buildings have now been renovated or demolished and new ones built, the northwestern part of the quarter is still dominated by large, low-income housing complexes, surrounded by industrial parks and wasteland. Lejerbo, a housing association that operates some 44,000 social housing units throughout Denmark, saw the need to provide a community centre for area residents. A youth centre with a

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café, computer lab, and classrooms was built to serve the more than 1,000 children and teens who live in the neighbourhood. The building also includes sports areas, such as a sports hall and a rooftop basketball court. Adults are also invited to use the space to gather and celebrate birthdays or hold regular meetings. The building site of the Aktivitetshus i Den Grønne Trekant (Activity Centre in the Green Triangle) is situated on a narrow green strip between the road and the parking lots of a housing estate. While the ground floor is recessed to create distinct entrance areas on two sides, the upper floor takes up the entire floor space. This creates a clear spatial separation between publicly accessible areas and the classrooms on the upper level. The rooftop sports field is enclosed by a ball cage and is directly accessible to the public along two outside staircases. The architects developed an unusual concept for the building shell. To reclaim a bit of nature in the densely populated area – even if only artificially – they designed a cut-out floral motif that spans two sides of the building. The aluminium elements filter the sunlight on the playing field and enable a lively play of light and shadow indoors. This highly visible facade element makes a statement in the urban space and fosters a sense of identification and cohesion within the community.

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Site plan, scale 1:8000

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Engineer: BIG Engineering Interior design: Studio David Thulstrup Landscape design: Thing Brandt Landskab Client: Noma Completion: 2018 Floor area: 1,290 m2 Use: Gastronomy Users: Up to 40 guests

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Refshalevej 96, Christiania 🌐noma.dk #noma @nomacph

BIG

Crucible for Culinary ­Creativity Noma 2.0

Seafood from January to June, plants and vegetables from July to September, game and forest from October to December – at Noma restaurant, which reopened in 2018, the year consists of only three seasons. Originally housed in a warehouse building in Christianshavn, the team gathered inspiration for their relaunch at pop-up restaurants in Japan, Australia, and Mexico. An unusual site was chosen for the new location – a disused area at a former garrison of the Royal Danish Navy, located on a narrow swath of no-man’s land in the middle of the autonomous district of Freetown Christiania. The 80-metre-long building, an old munitions depot dating back to 1917, nestles against a rampart between two lakes. Due to its status as a

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historical monument, only minor structural changes were allowed to be made where the structure was already damaged. The existing building was carefully renovated and serves as the structural backbone of the ensemble of buildings comprising the new Noma. From the storage room to the fermentation lab to prep kitchens and the scullery, it houses the ancillary rooms needed for the restaurant to function. Since new buildings were not permitted to exceed 5.5 metres in height, the decision was made to divide the restaurant into seven connected volumes, each of which is outfitted differently according to its purpose, while working together to form a single unit. The deliberately contrasting mix of materials is dominated by wood, brick, and brass. Glass joints along the roof and the facade connect the building components and enable a seamless transition between interior and exterior. Visitors receive a gradual welcome, passing first by the greenhouses, which are not only used for growing herbs, but also as a test kitchen and bakery. This route is part of the concept: the more distance that is covered, the greater the sense of deceleration upon entering the dining room. The heart of the ensemble is the kitchen, around which all other areas are arranged: the entrance, a lounge, the dining room for up to 40 guests, and a room for private parties. In this way, the cooks can clearly coordinate their processes, while the guests gain insight into the secrets of the art of cooking. Large glass windows, some of which can be opened, allow a direct experience of the natural environment. Not only the dishes but also the interiors reflect thoughtful engagement with Nordic traditions – with stone floors, brickwork in nuanced colours, and wood for lamellas, panelling, and layering, along with classic and bespoke furniture.

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Site plan, scale 1:2000

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School grounds and urban space flow into one another at Skolen i Sydhavnen (School in the South Harbour). Its giant

staircase serves as a lively meeting place for the pupils and the residents of the surrounding area.

Skolen i Sydhavnen JJW Architects

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The Royal Danish Playhouse with its three stages is located at the

harbourfront. Events such as concerts and poetry slams take place in the foyer.

Royal Playhouse Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter

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146 Culture and Education

The Royal Library is an important architectural landmark in the harbour area of the city centre.

A glass atrium divides the building, fondly referred to as the “Black Diamond”.

Royal Library Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

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Engineer: Arup; Cowi Project architects: C.F. Møller Landscape design: Kragh & Berglund; 1:1 Landskab Client: Realdania By & Byg Completion: 2018 Site area: 11,500 m² Floor area: 27,000 m² Use: Exhibitions, gastronomy, offices, fitness, residential, parking

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Bryghuspladsen, Indre By 🌐blox.dk @bloxkbh #bloxkbh

OMA

Mixed-Use Urban ­Landmark BLOX

For many years, the site of a former brewery located on the waterfront was a leftover space in the urban fabric. It served as a parking lot along a main bypass road, surrounded by historic buildings, cultural institutions, and government buildings. In addition to integrating the busy street into the design, the task was to reconcile various uses – exhibition rooms, office space, gastronomy, fitness studio, underground car park, and apartments – within a limited space. Rem Koolhaas’s office won the competition with a radical concept. Today the building fits into the area’s historical silhouette despite its unusual appearance. Its name, BLOX, is highly descriptive of its design: staggered blocks of different sizes are cleverly nested in a complex

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steel skeleton, with a space cut out for the road to run through it. Logistics and noise protection were not the only challenges; so was the development of a structural frame that would accommodate column-free spaces as well as the transfer of loads so close to the water. The building reaches five storeys above ground, with lower levels as deep as 16 metres underground. High-tech infrastructural solutions were put to use as well as a naturally ventilated, highly insulated facade to keep out street noise and vibrations. The public entrances are located on the first lower level, accessible by escalators on the city side and by a sculptural staircase along the waterfront. It was decided early on that the Danish Architecture Center (DAC) would have a home here, so it seemed logical to arrange a variety of flexible-use rooms around its exhibition hall in the centre of the ensemble. The office levels, restaurant, and other multifunctional spaces are arranged around the DAC. Varying room heights create interesting overlaps, leading to unexpected sightlines and views, while the building’s different areas interlock to foster a sense of dialogue between the buildings various users. Like a code, the diversity of uses can be read from the outside in the various materials and textures of the facade. Black expanded metal and blue-green iridescent glass surfaces reflect the colours of the surroundings. Terraces and wooden decks invite people to stay and relax. An existing playground was also integrated into the building as a terraced public space. The openness of the structure contrasts with the massive buildings and historic sites of the surrounding area, sparking curiosity and a spirit of discovery. Through this structural intervention, an ordinary space for cars was transformed into an extraordinary space for people.

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Engineer: Niras Landscape design: C.F. Møller Landscape Client: Property Foundation Copenhagen International School (ECIS) Completion: 2017 Floor area: 26,000 m² Use: School with cafeteria, theatre, sports halls Number of students: 1,200

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Levantkaj 4–14, Nordhavn 🌐copenhageninternational.school @cisdenmark #copenhageninternationalschool

C.F. Møller Architects

Model Architecture for a Model School Copenhagen International School

With 1,200 students from 80 nations and 280 teachers, Copenhagen International School (CIS) is currently one of the largest schools in the Danish capital. Founded in 1963, CIS was spread over two locations in the city until the move to Nordhavn (North Harbour) in 2017. The new site was not chosen at random. Shipping containers are still being loaded in the area nearby, but by 2050 the former industrial port is to be transformed into a sustainable urban quarter for 40,000 residents. The history of the port is inscribed in the new architecture. Resting on valuable new land reclaimed from the harbour, the school building looks like a large container ship with its staggered roof.

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13 Copenhagen International School C.F. Møller Architects ○

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The ground-floor base houses the main assembly hall, a double-­ height space with stepped seating that rises up to a mezzanine level including the library and adjoining cafeteria. Three sports halls and a 350-seat theatre, which can also be used by local residents, are distributed over the length of the building. The actual classrooms develop as an ensemble of asymmetrically stacked five- to seven-­ storey blocks that rise above the common zones in the ground floor base. These four volumes are spatially adapted to the requirements of students aged 3 to 19, from kindergarten to primary school, and the lower and upper secondary schools. Each of the blocks has a distinct identity, expressed in the facade by the use of different materials and in the interior through colours that facilitate orientation in the large school building. The hybrid construction with reinforced concrete and a steel structural system allowed the creation of large, open spaces for flexible use. The open environment can accommodate a range of educational scenarios, from classic frontal teaching to individual project work. Areas for learning, teachers, and administration are not isolated from each other, and in some places are separated only by glazed partition walls. The corner location of the classrooms favours the use of natural light. An additional LED-based lighting system can be controlled in terms of colour temperature and brightness as desired. In addition to designated open outdoor spaces on the entrance level, further recreational courtyards are available on roof terraces above the massive base. Greenhouses for urban gardening and for use as communal areas complete the spatial programme. The outer shell of the new building, which shimmers in shades of green and blue, meets the ambitious sustainability concept put forth by the client in terms of energy efficiency. Measuring 70 � 70 centimetres each, approximately 12,000 solar photovoltaic panels lend the facade a lively pixelated appearance. Estimated to produce over 200 MWh per year, the 6,000-square-metre solar facade will supply more than half of the school’s annual electricity requirements.

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Site plan, scale 1:20000

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A Rainwater retention in connection with green roofs The building's geometry encourages natural activity and play as part of daily movement. Timber flooring is used throughout the building.

B School children can grow vegetables, berries, and herbs in the roof gardens. Classrooms are strategically placed towards the building's corners to optimize daylight from two facades. C Natural ventilation in classrooms through windows that open in the facade. Classrooms offer views towards green outdoor areas.

D Active roofscapes with space for ball games and other sports.

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E Solar panels on the facade help supply the school with energy and can be actively used for learning purposes.

G Strong visual connections between the cafeteria and surrounding functions.

Pupils can grow vegetables, berries and herbs in the roof gardens Classrooms strategically placed towards building's corners to optimise daylight from two facades

Solar panels on the facade contribute to the school's energy consumption and can be actively used for teaching purposes Rainwater retention in connection with green roofs The building's geometry encourages natural activity and play as part of daily movement

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Natural ventilation in classrooms through openable windows in facade Views from classrooms towards green external areas Active roofscapes with space

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Active and green playground landscape between building and city

13 Copenhagen International School C.F. Møller Architects ○

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Photovoltaic Cellspanels / Coloured Panels Coloured LED

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height hallway Used used airairclassroom Hallway Classroom

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New residential and commercial areas are now being built where ships once lay at anchor and unloaded their cargo.

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Back to the Water: The Revival of the Port Jakob Schoof

KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

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Sustainability and quality of life, innovative architecture, and an excellent public transportation network – there are many reasons why city planners and local ­politicians worldwide are currently focused on Copenhagen. Two of these factors – the city’s bicycle infrastructure and its special relationship with the water – come together at the Havneringen (Harbour Circle), which opened in 2016. This 13-kilometre bike route is more than just a traffic line around the southern and inner harbours. It is a unique way to experience the diversity of Copenhagen’s waterfront: from the new Royal Playhouse (Skuespilhuset) in the city centre to Nokken, a self-built fishing community dating back to the 1930s; from historic Nyhavn (New Harbour) to the former fish market at Fisketorvet, where a residential and office district, including a cinema and shopping mall, has been developed over the past 15 years. The completion of the Harbour Circle was preceded by numerous bridge construction projects to open up the port area – which is divided into many small islands – to cyclists and pedestrians. Until the inauguration of Olafur Eliasson’s Cirkelbroen (Circle Bridge) in 2015, for example, pedestrians had to walk more than a kilometre to get from one side of the barely 40-metre-­wide canal to the other. Only 30 years ago, Copenhagen’s proximity to the water was only noticeable in a few places; industrial plants otherwise lined the harbour quays. Where these did not exist, such as on the banks of Christians Brygge and Kalvebod Brygge in the city centre, four-lane urban expressways separated the city from the harbour. The Royal Library, designed by architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen and popularly known as the “Black Diamond”, and the Blox cultural centre by OMA (see p. 148), bear witness to this separation today, as they span the main road as bridge structures. The Danish capital’s close relationship to water is part of its DNA. The first written mention of the city, in a history book from the 12th century, refers to it as Portus Mercatorum – Merchant’s Harbour. This meaning was carried over into the local language and remains evident in the city’s present name, København. Copen­hagen’s cityscape is also uniquely shaped by water, as the harbour runs through the entire city centre like a river that flows into the sea at both ends. However, this topography is not natural: the sea inlet  was originally much wider and has been gradually narrowed over the centuries by embankments. Large parts of the city centre, but also of the new residential areas at Sydhavnen (The South Harbour), are built on land that humans wrested from the water. In the newly developed port areas, such as Nordhavn 170 Culture and Education

As early as 1920, the city developed plans for land reclamation at Nordhavn, Refshaleøen, and Prøvestenen.

Back to the Water Jakob Schoof

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It is no coincidence that Copenhagen is also called the “Venice of the North”.

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View over the city centre to ­Nord­havn. The Swedish coast is visible on the ­horizon.

Culture and Education

(North Harbour), the strategy of successive land reclamation still continues today. In a strategy paper from 2013, the City of Copenhagen describes the goals it is pursuing with the port development: a greater variety of sports and leisure activities, more public spaces, more direct access to water, and improved water quality. The port is not only defined by its flagship buildings and cultural landmarks – the Royal Danish Playhouse by Lundgaard & Tranberg, for example, or the Gemini Towers by MVRDV, two silos converted into luxury apartments – but also the life that goes on between them. Already in the early 1990s, the first waterfront park was created on the quaysides of Islands Brygge, an old working-class neighbourhood. 2002 saw the opening of the city’s first Havnebad (Harbour Bath), an open-air harbour bathing complex designed by Plot, the former architecture studio of Bjarke Ingels and Julien de Smedt. This marked the end of a 48-year ban on swimming in the port, which had been imposed in 1954 due to increasing water pollution. Since 1996, the city has also been upgrading its former ­combined sewer system to prevent the sewers from overflowing into the port basins during heavy rainfall. Retention basins were built and  an early warning system installed, whose sensors sound an alarm when the water level in the canals rises. If they threaten to overflow, computer simulations now predict the probable degree of water pollution and a red warning flag is hoisted over the harbour baths if necessary. If the number of bathers is any indication, the system has noticeably increased public confidence in the quality of the port water. Shaping the public space As self-evident as the new face of Copenhagen’s harbour may seem, its transformation has resembled an administrative tour de force. The waterside properties and quay facilities are partly owned by the city and state, but also by private owners, the Danish military, and the public development company By & Havn. In order to move forward in this mixed situation, the city administration has cultivated an intensive culture of dialogue over the years. Pending redevelopment of a given area, it negotiates with property owners and residents in order to generate maximum public value from the project, ranging from cultural use to well-designed public spaces. What can happen if such negotiations are neglected is underlined by the story of how the Copenhagen Opera House (Operaen) on the island of Dokøen came into being. In the 1990s, large parts of Back to the Water Jakob Schoof

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this former naval base were purchased by Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller. The aged shipping magnate and billionaire then directly commissioned the architectural firm Henning Larsen to design an opera house there. In 2000, he presented it to an amazed public as a “gift to the Danish people”. For many, however, it was a double-edged gift: the massive new building obstructs the historical axis leading from Frederiks Church (Frederiks Kirke), also called the Marble Church (Marmorkirken), across the square of Amalienborg Palace, and down to the harbour. Larsen later distanced himself from the building’s semi-circular glass front, which was soon derided by the public as a “radiator grille”; evidently Møller had dictated that the design take this form. At the time, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

The port is not only defined by its flagship buildings and cultural landmarks ... but also the life that goes on between them. newspaper described the process as “coercion through generosity”, especially since Møller was unwilling to allow even small changes to his design. But given the culturally prestigious gift valued at 335 million euros, city politicians ultimately caved in and let the richest man in Denmark do the talking. Two other construction projects in the city centre exemplify Copenhagen’s approach to port development. In 2006, an investor’s plan to redevelop the prime plot on Krøyers Plads in the Christianshavn district according to designs by Erick van Egeraat failed, due to resistance from the local population. The planned buildings were criticized for being too tall, especially in comparison to the rather low skyline of Copenhagen’s city centre. A second attempt followed only years later under new ownership, this time with intensive civic participation. Three central demands were made: a maximum building height of 30 metres, the creation of highy diverse public spaces, and unrestricted public access to the water. The design by Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Cobe, and GHB Landskabsarkitekter (see p. 250) implements these specifications more or less one-to-one. Today, the waterfront development at Krøyers Plads is one of the most popular social gathering places in the inner harbour. 174

Culture and Education

Ofelia Plads, located at the far end of the Nyhavn district, has a completely different atmosphere. Like the Royal Playhouse to the south, the large public space was designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg. Until 2004, the location served as the departure point for ferries ­heading to Oslo. Even today, this concrete harbourfront plaza – measuring over 1.3 hectares and paved in grooved concrete – looks unfinished, as if awaiting new use. But this emptiness was apparently what the city centre was in need of. At least that was the conclusion reached by the municipality and the architects, after the area had been occupied for three years under the name Ofelia Beach, with various interim uses.

Nordhavn, once an old fishing harbour, is being

redeveloped into a 150-­hec­tare district for 40,000

Back to the Water Jakob Schoof

residents with about the same number of jobs.

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Living on the water: BIG’s innovative concept for the Urban Rigger floating student apartments combines upcycled shipping containers with energy-­ efficient and sustainable living.

Ofelia Plads, at the harbourfront between Nyhavn and Amalienborg, is a public cultural venue used by the Royal Playhouse for open-air events. Completed to a design by Lundgaard & Tranberg, it also includes an underground car park.

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Culture and Education

Elsewhere, the travelling circus of temporary uses, as is also known from other large conversion areas, continues cheerfully. For example, Papirøen (Paper Island), located opposite the Royal Playhouse, once stored rolls of paper for newspaper printers; later it became the site of an informal streetfood market. But now the bulldozers have been rolled out: the area will developed according to a masterplan by Cobe with apartments, a hotel, cultural facilities, and an aquatics centre by Kengo Kuma. In contrast, the former Refshaleøen shipyard further north has become a new hotspot for temporary use. Aside from a few pioneers from the creative and event industries, this area has not yet had to bow to harbourfront ­redevelopment. A few bars and restaurants have settled in, along with a paintball arena, climbing hall, and Urban Rigger, a floating student dormitory designed by BIG and constructed from used ­ shipping containers. The finals of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 took place in the huge dockyard hall overlooking the area. For the time being, the rusty charm of the former industrial site still continues to grow. Port development, a model for success While today’s inner harbour is the result of a years-long urban planning puzzle, the development of the other port areas lies mainly in one hand. The City of Copenhagen and the Danish state laid the foundations for this in 2007 with the founding of the project development company By & Havn (City & Harbour). It resulted from a merger of the Copenhagen Harbour and Ørestadsselskabet (the Ørestad Development Corporation) which was originally responsible for the development of the Copenhagen district of Ørestad. The new company has two main tasks: to manage and regulate the use of Copenhagen’s port waters and shore facilities; and to promote the conversion of disused port areas. The actual operation of the port is in the hands of a second company, which merged with the Port of Malmö in 2001 and is now back in the black after years of crisis. By & Havn is 95 % owned by the City of Copenhagen and 5 % by the state, but the company operates like a private company ­largely free from political influence, and can therefore ­pursue long-term strategies. After the financial crisis in 2008, the company ­successfully rejected the city’s request to force the sale of the land by lowering the price of the plots and thus stimulate the local economy. The business model of By & Havn is to use sales proceeds to build public infrastructure in the newly developed areas. The  new City­ ringen (City Circle Line) of the Copenhagen metro (see p. 68), which Back to the Water Jakob Schoof

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has been running under the city centre since 2019, was also planned by By & Havn. In order to pre-finance the development of the infrastructure without having to rush property sales, the ­company has taken out long-term loans, using land in its possession as security. One of By & Havn’s largest projects to date has been the redevelopment of Sydhavnen, now largely complete. In addition to the construction work on Papirøen, the company is currently focusing on Copenhagen’s largest urban development project at Nordhavn. By the final stage of construction, 40,000 people are expected to live and work here. The masterplan by Cobe, Sleth, and Rambøll not only provides for the redevelopment of the former free port near the city centre, but also for large-scale land reclamation projects further north. The soil needed to do this is provided by underground projects such as the metro expansion, which is currently in full swing in Copenhagen. By & Havn even earns money with this, because like every soil depot, it charges a fee for every tonne of excavated soil it provides. The first to make use of the reclaimed land is the port operator Copenhagen Malmö Port, which opened a new cruise terminal in the northeast of the port in 2015. The new North Harbour is also taking shape in its southern part. In 2013, the Copenhagen branch of the United Nations opened there on its own island, according to plans by 3XN. Just to the north is Århusgade, a dense, mainly residential quarter. Towering over it is The Silo, a former grain silo that Cobe converted into a luxury residential tower (see p. 242). Next door, Jaja Architects created Copenhagen’s most unconventional and certainly most scenic facility for sports and play on the roof of a multilevel car park (see p. 120). Further north, the new building for the Copenhagen International School (see p. 158) by C.F. Møller is an outpost of the developments to come – clad with 12,000 m² of photovoltaic modules, shimmering in different shades of blue. Serving the city’s international community, the educational building was planned according to a comprehensive sustainability concept. Less sustainable, however was the access route to the school, which was cut off from the rest of the city by the huge construction site around the Nordhavn metro line extension and its end station, completed at the end of March 2020.

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Culture and Education

The future lies in the sea Although By & Havn has so far enjoyed success with its strategy, it is not without criticism. The idea of selling land to finance infrastructure and other public services is not unique to Copenhagen. In other cities around the world, communities have expressed growing dissapointment with neoliberal policies from the 1990s and 2000s that allowed the privatization of public property, which has led to skyrocketing land and housing prices. But one essential difference distinguishes Copenhagen from metropolises such as London or Munich: as the example of Nordhavn shows, land is not necessarily a

Large parts of Copenhagen stand on land that has been reclaimed from the water by filling it in. More urban areas are to be created in this way in the coming years.

limited resource here. Another 30 years will pass before the new quarter is complete, and the supply of land seems to be secured for the time after that as well. In 2018, the Danish government announced its intention to build a new island north of Refshaleøen, called Lynetteholmen. The scale: housing and jobs for 35,000 people. The business model is similar to that of Nordhavn, with the sale of land intended to finance a new metro line to the island. Construction of the residential buildings on Lynetteholmen could start in 2035, but the site is unlikely to be complete before 2070. Back to the Water Jakob Schoof

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Engineer: Moe & Brødsgaard Landscape design: Henrik ­Jørgensen Landskab Client: Bygningsfonden Den Blå Planet Completion: 2013 Site area: 27,000 m2 Effective area: 12,000 m2, including 2000 m2 outdoor area Scope: 53 tanks with 7 million L of water Use: Aquarium Users: ca. 700,000 visitors per year

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Jacob Fortlingsvej 1, Kastrup 🌐denblaaplanet.dk @denblaplanet #denblaplanet

3XN

Magnificent Maelstrom Den Blå Planet – National Aquarium ­Denmark

In 1939, the National Danish Aquarium opened in the tranquil Charlottenlund, where visitors could be introduced to the fascinating world of the inhabitants of the seven seas. But in order to meet the newest aquarium standards and the needs of the changing spatial programme, a new building was planned in a special location. Northern Europe’s largest and most modern aquarium is located outside of Copenhagen not far from Kastrup Airport, on the shores of ­Øresund sound. Inspired by the properties of water and its endless movement, the architects of 3XN based their design on the idea of a vortex. The force of its suction, which changes depending on the point of view,

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proximity to the building, and time of day and year, guides visitors gently but surely along the path to the centre of the aquarium. The impression of venturing ever deeper below the surface of the sea blurs the boundaries between exterior and interior. The centrepiece is the circular foyer, from which visitors can explore the different parts of the exhibition. Aesthetics were not the only basis for the building’s form; it also fulfils spatial and functional requirements. The aquarium addresses the entire spectrum of aquatic life – in cold and warm climates, fresh and salt water – and therefore requires separate ­ ascinating areas with independent cooling and climate systems. F architectural spaces were created for each exhibit, offering a variety of atmospheric experiences from oversized volumes to intimate passageways. Huge glass panels and light-flooded areas alternate with glass tunnels in which the visitors themselves become the object of observation. Climate zones change unexpectedly, as does the transition between indoor and outdoor pools. Left deliberately undefined, the flow of paths through the exhibition invites chance discovery. The flexibility of the shape also allows part of the aquarium to be expanded, giving it up to 30 % more exhibition space. Since the building is located on an artificially raised headland, special measures had to be taken to ensure the stability of the structure. Founded on piles, all of the structural elements are connected in the main concrete structure. The eye-catching roof landscape is based on a system of 54 individual steel frames, whose geometry and positioning form the base of the organic facade. More than 33,000 diamond-shaped aluminium shingles cover the roof, interlacing to create a complex geometric pattern. To reduce energy consumption, the aquarium uses seawater from the Øresund for the cooling system for the water tanks and for the climate system for visitors. A 1.7-kilometre-long service line into the sea provides fresh water for the aquariums.

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Structural design: Søren Jensen Acoustic design: Frederik Wiuff Client: Copenhagen Municipality; State of Denmark Completion: 2007 Floor area: 12,000 m² Use: School Number of students: 1,100

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Ørestads ­Boulevard 75, Ørestad 🌐oerestadgym.dk @oerestadgym #oerestadgymnasium

3XN

School Without ­Classrooms Ørestad Gymnasium

Copenhagen’s demographic development, with its significant growth in the 16 to 19 age group, prompted the tender for a new school building in the Ørestad district. Most of the new quarter, which has been developed along the metro line on the island of Amager since 1992, is comprised of apartment buildings. The new Ørestad Gymnasium presents a deliberate contrast to the neighbourhood’s strict grid layout. Its design translates the school’s philosophy of interdisciplinarity, openness, and interaction into architecture. Hidden behind an inconspicuous cubic shell, the interior opens up to reveal a world of learning waiting to be discovered. Inside the four-storey volume, various shapes and surfaces form interconnecting levels, with few spatial boundaries between them.

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Boomerang-shaped learning levels are rotated at different angles around the heart of the building, a spiral wooden staircase. In addition to providing access, the sweeping staircase is designed to foster communication. It serves as a place of informal exchange between students and teachers, and offers space to sit and pass the time. The upper secondary school does away with closed classrooms; instead, bespoke furniture, passages, and niches zone the open space for a variety of learning scenarios. Sliding walls allow the creation of impromptu learning areas for groups of different sizes and occasions. Only a few areas are clearly separated from the rest, such as the administration offices, teachers’ rooms, and rooms for special classes such as music. Cylindrical structures set in the corners of each floor accommodate necessary functions, such as washrooms and technical rooms, as well as the emergency staircases and lifts. The spatial structure lives from its horizontal and vertical interconnections, created by different views across the atrium, which rises through the full height of the building. The non-hierarchical layout underpins the school’s approach in fostering independent learning, supported by the school’s progressive IT concept, which encourages the widespread use of wireless communication and learning tools. Special attention was also paid to room acoustics. Ceilings, walls, and floors are covered with sound-absorbing materials, including suspended acoustic elements in the open spaces, high-pile carpeting in the rest areas, and special acoustic plaster in highly frequented areas. Evoking the image of book spines along library shelves, the lamellar structure of the outer shell allowed for full-surface glazing of the facade. Depending on the time of day and season, various amounts of daylight fill the interior and contribute to the functioning of the open, spatial continuum. In addition to the roof terrace, staggered platforms on the upper floors jut out into the atrium to create lounge areas where students can relax.

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Kim Herforth Nielsen of 3XN in conversation with Sandra Hofmeister

­ rchitecture A as an ­Experiment KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

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The international team of 3XN, together with its founder and creative director Kim Herforth Nielsen, have a reputation for creating iconic architecture. In addition to their main office located at a former military shipyard in Copenhagen, the architects now operate worldwide with additional studios in Sydney, Stockholm, and New York. Their designs articulate complex spatial programmes through unique architectural forms. For Kim Herforth Nielsen, architecture must forge bold, new paths and provide qualities that improve people's everyday lives. This is especially true for educational and cultural buildings in urban settings.

Copenhagen has many national and royal institutions such as a theatres, museums, and libraries. How do these public institutions influence the character of the city? Denmark is a small and highly centralized country; this is why all the important cultural institutions are located in the capital city. The Queen lives in Copenhagen, it is the seat of the parliament, and we also have the Royal Library with its huge collective archive of Denmark’s history. All this of course has an 196 Culture and Education

impact on the city as a resource, and in that sense, Copenhagen is the most important city for Denmark. For quite some years now, the city has been known for three things: its film culture, its food culture, and its architecture. Many of Copenhagen’s cultural buildings are situated along the waterfront and in former harbour areas. What is behind this strong connection between public s ­ paces, culture, and the seaside?

In the olden days, the Copenhagen had a very busy industrial harbour. It was the backbone of the city, and where all the freight entered the country. But then the industrial part of the harbour moved out further and the harbour area became more of a destination in itself. The city started to develop the areas around the former harbour 25 years ago. At the time it seemed to be an ­unusual step to take, but today of course, the situation has changed a lot and all eyes are on the harbour now. Even the cultural institutions have moved there; it started with the Royal Library and then other institutions followed, such as the Opera and the Royal Theatre. The thing about Copenhagen is that it has so many harbour areas! Their development is managed by the public company By & Havn (the ­Copenhagen City & Port Development Corporation). It sold the waterfront sites and the earnings were used to finance the construction of the new metro line there. So our public infrastructure is financed by the harbour development. Has Copenhagen reinvented itself by revitalizing its harbour areas? Indeed it has. Our cultural institutions had no trouble finding property there, so now we have a new cultural landscape at the waterfront. Some time ago there were rumours that the Guggenheim wanted to open a branch in Copenhagen, and naturally at the harbour. But for some reason Interview Kim Herforth Nielsen / 3XN

the project stalled. These days there is talk about a new museum for United Nations – I’ll be surprised if they don’t find a site along the harbour. It’s what connects everything nowadays; it’s the city’s central nerve. Your office in Copenhagen is also located directly at the waterfront; how does this affect your work? More than 15 years ago, when we still had our office in Aarhus, we could look out of office windows and see the harbour. So, when we moved to Copenhagen, it was a must for me that we should have a view of the water here as well. We are lucky to have this direct connection to the water as part of our day-to-day routine. There was a storm recently and the waves came all the way up to the facade of our office. The setting is beautiful, with new atmospheres constantly being created. So indirectly, this connection to the water does affect our work. We are currently working on four projects at the Toronto waterfront, and on a project at the Sydney harbour that is just right behind the Opera House. It’s clear you’re a specialist for waterfront architecture. One striking example is your iconic aquarium on the shores of Øresund. How did that special location inspire your design? For the competition we first thought about what was the most essential idea behind the aquarium. Of course, 197

it’s all about water, which is why the water became a core idea in our design. One day someone from our team came in with a picture of a whirlpool and said it would be the perfect concept. We built on this idea of spiral waterflows, and then of course there were a lot of other things in the brief that we had to accommodate, such as the various sections and tanks in the building. There is one section for the Pacific Ocean, another for the Amazon, and one for the North Sea. With the amorphous, spiral form it was easy to divide the space into all these sections, which can be individually expanded as needed.

Seen from a distance, the building looks like an ocean creature; its volume evokes the shape of a seashell. Did those associations play a role during the design process? Once you find the right shape, its other good qualities also become apparent. When you fly into the city you can see the building, which looks like star from above. When you’re viewing it close up on land, it looks like a big whale and becomes a metaphor for all the animals of the sea. I really like those associations, and they all derive from our central idea that the building is all about water.

The architecture of Ørestad That sounds like a complicated Gymnasium is also designed programme. with clear consideration of its Yes, but the shape was very practical programme and how it relates to in allowing us to respect all the the building layout. Do you think requirements of the brief. And architecture can affect people’s then there was another aspect that behaviour, especially when it was very important. You know, I comes to cultural and educationhave four kids, and together we have al spaces? visited a lot of different aquariums We were invited to take part in the around the world. One thing I noticed competition in the early 2000s, after was how difficult it can be to view a new school reform. The brief was the sharks. Obviously, everybody very short and more of a description wants to see the sharks, but that of the new educational approach. causes congestion and keeps other It was actually quite inspiring, visitors from passing by. The spiral touching on how students should form allowed us to design a centre be taught in the future and how an space from which visitors can go to interdisciplinary approach aimed to the different sections. We also created spark students’ interested in learning. shortcuts and a variety of paths for It followed that there should be a lot people to move through the building. of interaction: learning from each When the aquarium opened, it had other and working in small groups 1.5 million visitors in a year – twice alongside independent learning was as many as expected. a main concept. So we designed the 198 Culture and Education

3XN’s office is located in a former naval shipyard along a canal in the Holmen district.

“The port connects everything, it is the central lifeline of the entire city.”

Interview Kim Herforth Nielsen / 3XN

interior to provide different spaces that allow and encourage interaction. We gained a lot of experience during the design process, for example, we hired a psychologist to evaluate how such spaces function. Today, one of my sons goes to the school, and I can attest to the fact that the school helps students to become mature and self-disciplined. Our work on the competition led us to set up our own research division. Some of the lessons we learned from the school building can be found to some extent in all of our buildings. For example, considering how a staircase can foster more interaction and communication, how open spaces can enhance the learning process, and why diversity is very important in a building, combined with size, light, and sound. I think architecture in general must provide different kinds of spaces, big and small. A public client needs a lot of courage to embrace experimental, untested ideas. Do you think this is a typical approach in Copenhagen? Definitely. I think the only way that Denmark can survive as a country with only 5.5 million people is by never doing the same thing twice. Nobody here demands the same architecture over and over again. Of course, we have to learn from former projects, but we shouldn’t repeat ourselves. When I was showing the Ørestad Gymnasium to the French ambassador, she asked me if we had ever built a school like this before. 199

“We must always challenge architecture in order to develop it further and to improve everyday life.”

When I said no, she said, “How on earth could you spend so many millions on a school that wasn’t certain to work?” But this is the Danish way. In general, I think we need to constantly challenge architecture so that it can evolve, to advance and to improve everyday life. This is the reason for our success and sometimes also our failures. But if you never make mistakes, you’ll never succeed. That’s a very good point. But isn’t it also true that clients usually want to be sure that their investment is worth it, and therefore avoid taking risks? Of course. That’s why as an architect you have to argue all the time. But this also makes you think more about what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. In a sense, you also have to be willing to fail. If you do everything like it’s always been done before, there will be no progress. What is your personal wish for the future development of ­Copenhagen? There is something, to be honest, that Copenhagen is lacking right now. It used to be that there was a competition for all new building projects. But with the building boom, especially around the harbour in the last few years, we’re not upholding this standard any more. Some of the housing blocks in that area are fairly mediocre in quality. Developers are building quickly due to the housing shortage, but I miss the focus on quality and I think they could do much better.

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In my opinion, it’s important to install a system that evaluates the quality of new building projects. As architects, we have a huge obligation because these buildings may last for more than 100 years and influence people’s behaviour for just as long. So my personal wish is for more quality control in Copenhagen to ensure that we maintain high architectural standards.

Interview Kim Herforth Nielsen / 3XN

○ ○ Blå Planet – 14 Den  ↪

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Engineer: Orbicon Client: Experimentarium Completion: 2017 Effective area: 26,850 m² including 1,850 m² roof terrace Exhibition area: 13,500 m² including restaurant and shop Use: Exhibition, gastronomy, offices, conference rooms, teaching spaces, workshops Users: Approx. 700,000 visitors per year

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Tuborg Havnevej 7, Hellerup @experimentarium #experimentarium

Cebra

A Space for Science Experimentarium ­Extension

In 1991, when the Experimentarium opened its doors in the former bottling hall of the Tuborg Brewery in Hellerup, its content was already geared towards the study of science. However, the building stock dating back to 1880 was too inflexible for the museum’s spatial needs, leading to the decision to restructure and expand it. The transformation was not only spatially justified: the introverted industrial building was to be transformed into an open space that would awaken the interest of the next generation in science and technology. Today, the Experimentarium is composed of differently sized blocks stacked alongside and on top of each other, using the existing

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structure as a base. The new volumes create a flexible framework, giving the curators the freedom to create a variety of spatial interventions. Eighteen exhibition areas with different requirements function as self-contained units, while maintaining a visual connection to the other science stations. The architects involved a variety of other disciplines during the design process in order to understand the complex functional and technical requirements of the exhibits and the building. The aim was to create an explicit link between the physical space and the philosophy of the science centre. The internal areas can be flexibly used to meet the requirements of changing exhibits, special events, and functional needs. Auditoriums, classrooms, laboratories, and workshops connect to the central core of knowledge, with a restaurant on the ground floor and a roof terrace with further experimental areas. Two atriums rise up in the building, each accompanied by a striking sculptural staircase. The helix staircase, reminiscent of the structure of a DNA molecule, is visible from the street and welcomes visitors into the building. The winding staircase measures 100 metres in length and is built from 160 tonnes of steel covered in 10 tonnes of copper. In contrast, the straight path of the vector staircase evokes the physically shortest distance between two points. The process to create the oversized, column-free spaces up to 45 metres wide was a structural feat in itself. Generous glazing establishes a connection between the interior and the city. As a counterpoint to the massive historic base in red brick, the staggered boxes are clad in lightweight aluminium panels, most of which was recycled from old beer cans – a nod to the building’s history. There’s something to discover here as well: upon closer look, the perforations of the aluminium panels form a pattern borrowed from fluid dynamics in the field of physics. Now that’s how to make learning about science fun!

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Structural design, building services planning: Domina Workshops: Kerstin Bergendal Client: City of Copenhagen Completion: 2013 Effective area: 1,085 m² Use: Children’s cultural centre

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Øresundsvej 8B, Amager Øst 🌐bornekulturhusamar.kk.dk @børnekulturhusamar # børnekulturhusamar

Dorte Mandrup, Nøhr & Sigsgaard

By Kids for Kids Børnekulturhus Ama’r

In the heart of Copenhagen’s Amager Øst district, the Børnekulturhus Ama’r (Ama’r Children’s Cultural Centre) was built on a small plot next to the cultural complex at Musiktorvet (see p. 76) Its varied programme and spatial concept cater to children and young people, aged 0 to 18. Situated on a corner, the culture house closes a gap between two residential buildings, its shape and size mediating between the different scales of the existing structures. In terms of its formal language and materiality, however, it intentionally stands out from the others. Underlying its distinct appearance is a differentiated design approach that spatially implements the centre’s content programme.

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The planning team boldly went in search of ideas for the new building by conducting a series of community workshops with the artist Kerstin Bergendal. In collaboration with children, staff of the centre, the architect Dorte Mandrup, and further invited artists, nine principles were developed which formed the basis of the spatial programme. The new building reflects a playful approach in its formal language, which challenges traditional views and free spirits alike. Thoughtful design and spatial solutions were developed to meet the wide range of demands – from flexible furnishings that encourage spontaneity and contemplation, to non-hierarchical, undefined areas serving as a springboard for creative processes, to architecture that appeals to all the senses. The result is a three-dimensional spatial continuum that visually connects the different zones and can be explored along a dynamic, guided path. Open spaces alternate with stairs, caves, and niches. A climbing hill and the overlapping of access and activity areas, as well as the interior furnishings, are tailored to the needs of the children and offer a variety of spatial experiences. The sense of openness and flexibility is also evident in the different views into and out of the building, establishing a relationship between the indoor and outdoor environments. The interior space opens up to passers-by like a lively showcase. The building’s shape can be interpreted as a consequence of the changeability of the interior spaces. The facade and roof merge seamlessly to form a contiguous shell. The material mix of aluminium cladding and wooden window frames, as well as the irregularly placed openings in the facade and on the roof, set a deliberate accent – both programmatically and architecturally.

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Engineer: Niras Landscape design: JJW Landscape; PK3 Sports facility planning: Keinicke & Overgaard Art in architecture: Peter Holst Henckel Client: Byggeri København Completion: 2015 Total area: 9,500 m² Use: School, dental clinic Number of students: 840

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Støberigade 1, Sydhavnen 🌐sis.aula.dk #skolenisydhavnen

JJW Architects

Lifelong Learning Skolen i Sydhavnen

The Teglholmen peninsula is characterized by a heterogeneous mix of the existing port industry and new office and residential buildings. In this development structure, which is laid out in a regular grid, the new Skolen i Sydhavnen School in the South Harbour community learning centre breaks the established order with its polygonal shape. The new building fulfils several requirements, which are reflected in the architecture. As a new school focused on maritime studies and the sciences, water is part of the educational concept, from classes on marine biology to the boat workshop using schoolowned kayaks. Sport is part of the daily routine, which is why all of the roof terraces are designed as recreational areas. Playful learning

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occurs at all levels, from the harbour basin to the roof. Following the specifications of the school authority, the new building also establishes a spatial link between the school and the wider community. Thanks to a clever hierarchy of public, semi-public, and private spaces, neighbourhood associations can use certain areas after school hours for learning or other activities. As a combination of schoolyard and town square, the ground level functions as a liminal zone that mediates between the uses. The building’s unconventional shape is the result of an approach that aimed to maximize use of the property. A spacious atrium welcomes the students and guides them into the light-flooded assembly hall with its wide seating steps, the cafeteria with an adjoining teaching kitchen, and the science classrooms. The spatial structure accommodates the different needs of the school children, aged 6 to 12. Shielded from the public areas, the classrooms are staggered on the upper levels according to age group. The spatial concept fosters communication and interaction while providing space for independent work. Common areas are equipped with tea kitchens and niches to relax. The choice of materials underscores the robustness of the concept. Concrete surfaces, parquet flooring, and coloured flooring provide orientation, while acoustic elements along the walls and ceilings foster a pleasant ambiance. Large, open access areas zone the building horizontally and vertically, with seating steps that foster an inviting atmosphere. Different ceiling heights, which interlock like a game of Tetris, create a change of scale as part of the spatial concept. Outside, the complexity of the interior continues. The clever arrangement of a wide, open staircase from the ground floor to the second floor, and narrower stairs and ramps up to the topmost roof level, made it possible to create far more open space on the site than the limited plot of land would suggest.

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Engineer: Søren Jensen Landscape design: SLA Client: Frederiksberg Municipality; Realdania Completion: 2016 Effective area: 4,000 m² Use: Cultural and community centre

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Dirch Passers Allé 4, Frederiksberg 🌐kube.frederiksberg.dk #kubefrb

MVRDV, Adept

A Dynamic Community Space Ku.Be

Frederiksberg was only incorporated into the city of Copenhagen in 2007, and numerous international companies have since settled along its main traffic arteries. A public meeting place was to be created for the residents of the district. The competition did not specify a spatial programme for the new building, but instead called for a substantive idea that would bring people together and improve their quality of life. In addition, the building design was to be flexible enough to evolve its programme to meet the users’ changing needs. For Ku.Be (Kultur- og Bevægelseshus, House for Culture and Movement) the architects designed spaces for a variety of uses – including rooms for meditation and learning, theatre and performance

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areas, sports facilities, and a kitchen. The functions are enclosed in distinct volumes; the diverse programme is reflected in the size of the zones. Larger areas, accessible at ground level, are suitable for public events, while smaller, more intimate areas can be used for courses. Not only is each zone outfitted according to its functional requirements, but also has an individual spatial expression. Distinct colours and materials visually distinguish the different volumes, even while the relationship between them remains tangible. Curved walls meet acute angles while platforms and passageways jut into the building-high atriums, establishing a lively spatial atmosphere through the visual connections. The different geometries and spatial requirements are enclosed in a monolithic shell without defining spatial hierarchies, only hinting at the possible uses of the various zones. Therein lies the actual purpose of the building: to create undefined spaces that invite discovery. Furthermore, access to the various spaces is not immediately apparent. The space connecting two zones might also serve as a temporary play area or meeting place for the debate club, while dance classes are held next to the skateboard ramp. This is also part of the concept – instead of following well-trodden paths, visitors are encouraged to explore the space along different routes using alternative forms of movement each time. The spirit of discovery also finds its counterpart in the exterior space. Outside, where the community centre connects with the urban realm, a multifaceted landscape unfolds in the topography, ending in an open-air amphitheatre. Well-proportioned openings in the shiny tiled facades reveal brightly coloured indoor surfaces, giving a glimpse of the complex interior within the deceptively simple cube.

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Engineer: EKJ Client: Gammel Hellerup Gymnasium Completion: 2015 Effective area: 2,500 m² Use: School Number of students: 900

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BIG

Recreational Rooftops Extension of Gammel ­Hellerup Gymnasium

The town of Hellerup is a typical suburb situated about 10 kilometres north of Copenhagen’s city centre, directly on the Øresund. Detached villas with generous green spaces lead to denser residential developments and commercial buildings at the town centre. The Gammel Hellerup Gymnasium, a high school founded in 1894, is located at the juncture of these different areas in a heterogeneous, small-scale development. Originally run as a boys’ school, today up to 900 girls and boys attend the educational institution, accompanied by 100 teachers and administrative staff. An extension of the school complex was needed in order to meet the requirements of the growing number of students and the need for new spaces for

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social and creative development. Due to the limited space on the site and the desire not to enclose the remaining sports areas in a new multipurpose hall, an unusual solution was found. The area of the former schoolyard was lowered by 5 metres to create an underground multipurpose sports hall. A roof construction made of wide, glued laminated timber beams rises to form a curved surface, adding to the indoor height and creating a pleasant atmosphere inside the space. The curve of the beams was not developed from structural requirements, but from the ideal path of a ball throw. Heated with geothermal energy, which can also be used for cooling in summer, the new building follows a sustainable concept. The hall receives natural daylight through a row of skylights along the walls. Above ground, the convex surface of the vaulted roof doubles as an informal meeting place, with various seating arrangements lending the school’s inner courtyard added appeal. The raised edge, designed as a seating area, conceals the skylights of the underground sports hall. Another new element on the school grounds – a new building for art lessons – also cleverly plays with conventions. The outdoor sports field was extended up over the volume like a green carpet, creating informal seating for sporting events. Generous glazing looking onto the inner courtyard and to the sides creates ideal conditions for the art studios inside. The two new buildings presented an opportunity to reorganize the routes within the school complex, adding a third dimension. Now, students can go from the elevated sports field, through the underground multipurpose hall, to the cafeteria and classrooms, and out to the main entrance at street level. While the concrete surfaces of the art building remain visible both inside and outside, the interior walls are clad with vertical wooden lamellas. This is the mirror image of the material combination used in the multipurpose hall; the continuity and repetition establish a coherent visual identity.

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Many new residential buildings are being and canals – waterfront locations are erected along Copenhagen’s harbours more popular than ever.

Krøyers Plads Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Cobe

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Terrace living in Ørestad: South-facing apartments are arranged in a stepped

building form, with an integrated parking lot below them.

The Mountain BIG

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The Cubic Houses apartment complex in Ørestad Syd offers an alternative to massive uniform housing blocks.

The total volume is broken down into individual stacked cubes, each with a distinct brick facade.

Cubic Houses Adept

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Structural design: Balslev Engineer: Norconsult (formerly Wessberg) Client: NRE Denmark; Klaus Kastbjerg Completion: 2017 Effective area: 10,000 m² Use: Residential, gastronomy Number of housing units: 38 apartments, including some duplexes (106–401 m²)

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Fortkaj 30, ­Nordhavn 🌐thesilo.dk #thesilo @thesilo

Cobe

Living in a Granary The Silo

The Nordhavn (North Harbour) district is currently one of the largest and most exciting development areas in Copenhagen. Once an industrial port, today it is the site of warehouse conversions, densification, and coastal land reclamation. Its central location and good transport connections make the area interesting not only for residential use, but also for cultural facilities, offices, and shopping. Cobe’s long-term development concept includes the preservation of heritage architecture to strengthen identification with the area for old and new residents alike. This can be seen in their conversion of a 17-storey grain silo into a modern residential building, which implemented a highly creative approach to preservation and conversion.

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The project was not without its hurdles: even the change of use presented the architects with great challenges. Grain must be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, which is why the silo only had a few openings on one narrow side. In addition, only fragments of the original floors were left, with different room heights. How could such an uninhabitable building be adapted to human needs for light, air, and a sense of wellbeing, without destroying the structure’s historical charm? The architects used the given conditions to their advantage. In the interior, the original concrete surfaces of the granary were left bare, enhancing the special industrial atmosphere in spaces that extend up to 8 metres high. The existing structure yielded 38 apartment units, some of which are designed as maisonettes. What they all have in common are full-length windows, which were elaborately cut into the outer reinforced concrete walls to bring light into the interior and offer wide views of the Øresund. Covering the existing structure like a second layer is a thermally insulated steel facade, made of individual elements to compensate for dimensional differences in the existing building. Balconies integrated into the shell extend the living space to include the outdoors. Perforated steel elements fold around them to protect against wind and sun. Within a few years’ time, the cladding will develop a patina as charming as the former granary. Both the ground floor, which can be used for events, and the restaurant on the top floor are open to the public. Here, a glass dome offers a 360-degree view of the city and the upcoming development areas.

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Engineer: Cowi Landscape design: GHB Landskabsarkitekter Client: NCC Bolig Completion: 2016 Floor area: 20,000 m² Use: Residential, offices, retail, gastronomy Number of housing units: 107 ­apartments (79–250 m²)

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Krøyers Plads, Christianshavn #krøersplads

Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, Cobe

Contemporary Warehouse Living Krøyers Plads

The harbourfront area of Krøyers Plads is steeped in history. Exotic imports such as sugar, tea, and coffee were stored here in warehouses and loaded by cranes onto merchant ships, destined for sale in Western Europe. After the trading hub was relocated, the area served briefly as a naval base, followed by years of disuse. Today, the Christianshavn district, with its old warehouses, granaries, and distinctive tiled roofs, is being transformed into a modern residential area. This process has been closely accompanied by residents who are keen to preserve the area’s historical and architectural identity. After several failed attempts to develop the area, the investors and planning team took a new, participatory approach, opening up the

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process to local residents through numerous dialogue-oriented workshops. The effort was worth it: instead of planning an ill-fitting object, the development at Krøyers Plads draws inspiration from the existing historical buildings in terms of form, materiality, and colour to create a new warehouse typology. While two of the new buildings are situated in line with the historical warehouses with their gable sides perpendicular to the harbour pier, the third building closes the gap in the second row behind them. To mediate between the historic warehouses and the new residential structures, the architects reinterpreted traditional gable roofs to create a faceted roof landscape with sloping eaves lines. The materiality reflects the historical fabric, but with a modern twist. The two parallel buildings, which are up to 24 metres deep, are hung with prefabricated brick cladding tiles that achieve a seamless transition between facade and roof. In contrast, black anodized aluminium was used to cover the window reveals and the loggias. The transverse building also plays with conventions. Wide, projecting balconies in combination with large glass windows open the building to the water, while the facade facing the street is clad in a novel reinterpretation of the surrounding historical brickwork. Public ground-level passages on also take up the motifs of the material shift from heavy to reflective in their design. A total of 107 apartments with individual layouts are distributed among the three new buildings. To make the once desolate area attractive for non-residents as well, the ground floor areas were revitalized with restaurants and cafés, food shops, and showrooms. The open spaces between the buildings remains accessible to the public and functions as part of the waterfront. A wooden staircase extends the space in front of the new buildings and also allows direct access to the water. This turns the harbour basin into an attractive leisure area, whose appeal extends well beyond business hours.

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Engineer: Klaus Nielsen Parmagade 2, Amager Øst Client: Municipality of Copenhagen #sundbyøsterhall2 Partner (PPP): O. Adsbøll & Sønner Completion: 2015 Floor area: 5,400 m² Use: Retail, sports hall, residential Number of housing units: 12 (132–167 m²)

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Dorte Mandrup

Stacked Urbanity Sundbyøster Hall II

Sundbyøster Hall II is an impressive example of how vibrant urbanity can also be vertical. Three functions – shopping, sports hall, and apartments come together in an unusual combination – stacked on top of each other – to create a striking urban building block. The plot on Amagerbrogade was developed in a public-private partnership, creating synergies for residents and the wider population through a novel combination of different uses. The ground floor opens up to the street with two supermarkets to meet the needs of the local neighbourhood. But the heart of the facility is the sports hall on the first upper level, which is used by the children of the neighbouring school as well as by the surrounding

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sports clubs. Designed as a handball hall, the playing field takes up the entire width of the building, with a narrow spectator stand and a separate exercise room integrated at the narrow ends. A bespoke facade element with double-height glass panels gently reflects incident light. This makes the activities and attractiveness of the sports hall visible from the outside – an important aspect in anchoring the sports facility in the social fabric. An arcade along the south facade provides access to the 12 residential units, which are organized like terraced houses. The living/ dining area can be accessed from a sheltered terrace that receives sunlight from the sides. The dwellings, which are only 5 metres wide but 24 metres deep, are an interesting typology for dense inner-city settings. Double-height rooms and private terraces maximize exposure to natural light, as do ribbon windows in the living/dining areas. The gallery space and rooftop terrace to the south add individual, private space, while large-format windows on the north open up the dwellings to the urban environment. Instead of uniting all uses in a homogeneous shell, each function is indicated by a distinct cladding. Not only does this make the building appear seem more compact, it also underscores the different uses on each level. Rising above the mainly glazed ground floor zone, the massive volume of the sports hall is covered in wooden panels, whose reddish varnish reflects the surrounding brick buildings. Above this, the residential units are clad in aluminium for a decided contrast. The positive response to this novel mix of uses shows how architecture can enrich urban life. But just as important as the design is the connection fostered between the various stakeholders, whose impact on the city will develop together.

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23 Sundbyøster Hall II Dorte Mandrup ○

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Engineer: Leif Hansen Landscape design: Marianne Levinsen Client: Bofælleskabet Lange Eng/Lange Eng Cohousing Community Completion: 2008 Floor area: 6,400 m² Inner courtyard: 4,100 m² Use: Residential Number of housing units: 54 (72–135 m²) Number of occupants: approx. 200

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Lange Eng 1,­­Albertslund 🌐langeeng.dk #langeeng

Dorte Mandrup

Communal Living Lange Eng Cohousing

Cohousing has a long tradition in Denmark. Since the late 1960s, the city’s different forms of communal living have drawn international attention. One of the largest and perhaps most radical community housing projects is Lange Eng in Albertslund, which was initiated by a small group in 2004 to realize their desire for socially oriented living. The central aim of the project was to establish a community accommodating a range of age and occupational groups, cultural backgrounds, and ways of living. To determine the different spatial requirements – common areas for meeting and communication, but also more private areas – an extensive participatory process was carried out, with various workshops held between the planners and the future residents.

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Situated between dense building structures on one side and a forest on the other, the three-storey residential complex with a total of 54 dwellings was developed as a closed block. From the outside, the main structure seems rather closed and uninviting in terms of materials and colour. Outside access stairs and parking spaces are the only elements that reach into the exterior space. However, the opposite is true of the sheltered inner space of the block, which opens up to the communal garden courtyard. Here, floor-to-ceiling windows and translucent polycarbonate facades allow a variety of views and bright, sunlit interiors. A balanced combination of four, one- and two-storey dwelling types are arranged around the courtyard. At the heart of each residential unit is a large, open living room and kitchen area; the other rooms are oriented around that, while in the maisonettes they connect to this central, double-height space on the upper level. Each dwelling has direct access to the garden, ­either via a covered wooden terrace or a staircase leading down from upper level units, which slope outward to protect the privacy of the apartments below. One special feature is the common house, which most impressively conveys the idea of the social community. The ground floor houses the kitchen, a dining area for 100 people, and a play corner for the children. Residents can eat together here six days a week. On the upper floor there is a movie room, library, and a multifunctional room for further group activities. It’s all part of the concept: every adult resident contributes to the community by providing labour, be it cooking, cleaning, or taking responsibility for community affairs as members of a working group.

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Dorte Mandrup in conversation with Sandra Hofmeister

Housing Concepts: Traditional and ­Trendsetting KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

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Copenhagen-based architect Dorte Mandrup and her international team of 70 employees are known for their future-forward concepts and their thoughtful implementation. A desire to experiment and developing complex, new building types are part of the studio’s expertise. Dorte Mandrup’s outstanding buildings in the Danish capital include Sundbyøster Hall II with its unconventional mix of functions. In Lange Eng, a suburb of Copenhagen, the architect designed a unique structure that accommodates new cohousing forms.

Is there a typical housing form in Copenhagen, and what does this mean in terms of architecture? The traditional Copenhagen block is built around an inner courtyard, which serves as a communal garden area and often includes a playground for the children.   Apartment buildings or single-­ family homes – which type of housing is most popular in Copenhagen? A single-family house in Copenhagen is very expensive. What is more popular therefore is an apartment in a building that is usually four, five or six floors high; this is where most people in Copenhagen live nowadays. The typical apartment usually has three to five rooms and 90 square metres or more, some are smaller. Most of the housing projects being built these days are like this, and 276 housing

there is often an inner courtyard as well. The modernist masterplans from the 1960s and 1970s had long building blocks with green areas on both sides. But this special typology is no longer built today. The city of Copenhagen has made a point of developing new districts, such as Ørestad and Nordhavn. What is your view on those recent masterplans when it comes to the question of residential living? I think the scale for Ørestad was wrongly judged from the beginning. The masterplan was done on a very graphic basis and the result are those very large blocks all over. As for the typologies, the city tried to make reference to the traditional Copen­hagen block, but the scale is much bigger in Ørestad. In my opinion, a secondary plan with smaller and more varied

scales would help. It could be added to the existing layer, which is far too large. There are courtyards in Ørestad where you cannot even see your neighbour on the other side of the building. When the city developed the Nordhavn district, they tried to learn from Ørestad by making the masterplan much denser. The area has existing historical harbour structures, but unfortunately some of them were significantly transformed and are now difficult to recognize as old harbour buildings. All in all, Nord­ havn is much more successful than Ørestad, both in terms of scale and its thoughtful mix of functions – there are many public zones and shops in the ground floors of residential blocks. What is problematic, however, is that most of the apartments are privately owned and you need to be quite wealthy to buy one. So there is not much social mixing in Nordhavn. There is just one single block of social housing – actually, we are currently in the process of completing it.   Your studio designed an outstanding mixed-use building in the Amager district: Sundbyøster Hall II unites different functions under one roof. What is the benefit for the city? When you have apartments, a sports hall, and a supermarket under the same roof, the whole building is used around the clock and not only during the day or night. In my eyes, this is a big benefit for the city. Also, living on the ground floor is not really what you are looking for in a city. So using Interview Dorte Mandrup

the various building levels and areas for different functions is definitely an advantage. Technically, the mix of functions is more difficult to build – for example, there are vibrations from the sports hall that need to be managed. In addition, the issue of entrances, exits, and fire protection is fairly advanced and more complicated than in a single-use building. You also had to deal with different clients for Sundbyøster Hall. Yes – the building is a public-private partnership. The municipality owns the sports hall while the supermarket and apartments are privately owned. This made everything more complex, but it was still possible in the end. I think developers, the municipality, and everybody involved in such a project has the task of looking for solutions. We can solve the problems – you just need to have a mindset where you want to mix the city much more and make it more lively. Then there is the question of flexibility. In my eyes, we must make sure that new buildings in the city can be used 100 years from now, even if we don’t know what people will need in the future. So it’s important to build structures that are flexible enough to accommodate different functions – housing, offices, and so on. A lot of new buildings are constructed very precisely to hold apartments, and I do not appreciate this. With ceilings that are only 2.5 metres high it will be very difficult or impossible to change the function later on. We must suppose that we want to live 277

differently in 50 years – maybe even a factory will move into the building someday. We need more flexible buildings in general, with higher ceilings and more adaptable construction systems. A concrete facade, for example, cannot be changed, but there are more flexible systems that can be adapted to future needs.

actually has a number of projects that integrate shared spaces. We did one in the periphery of Copenhagen: the Lange Eng cohousing community, where 26 families live and eat together regularly. The cost of the communal areas is divided up among the residents. Prioritizing common and community spaces space is becoming more and more relevant. You don’t need to have your own space for Mixing functions will be a crucial task in the future. Another grow- everything and sharing means that ing trend is cohousing. What are together we can afford even more and your experiences as an architect have access to things we could not with the concept of shared living or would not otherwise afford. Also, spaces? many people feel that it is nice to share certain functions, as you get to There are many different groups looking for a more shared living expe- know your neighbours and the people rience, and it’s quite difficult to do this around you, adding a significant social element to your everyday life. in a traditional block. Copenhagen

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A cohousing community places special demands on the architecture. How did you address this at Lange Eng? We took a few square metres from the private spaces in order to have generous common areas. While the individual apartments are relatively compact with small kitchens, there are 600 square metres for community activities, including a big industrial kitchen, dining hall, lounge, cinema, and workshop spaces. An even more radical project would also be interesting, for instance where the bathrooms are no longer in the private zones. Sharing in general is less expensive. It makes a lot of sense for the future, when it comes to sustainability, for residential structures to have more shared spaces and functions. The use of square metres per person is just as important as the design and construction. We will need to share more in the future and there are a lot of possibilities we haven’t even thought about yet. Is there a chance of cohousing becoming a future model for the whole city? We already have numerous cohousing situations for very specialized groups – elderly people, students, or young families. My dream is that we can mix the different groups much more and build cohousing spaces that reflect the whole society – singles and families, old and young people. We could have much more diversified cohousing situations that don’t only address single groups. Interview Dorte Mandrup

What is your wish for Copenhagen’s future architecture? Definitively many more communal activities and spaces. I also wish that the city of Copenhagen would move forward with densification without simply doing things on a larger scale. We have to find better solutions to densify our cities than simply higher buildings. Densification on a small scale – that’s a real challenge for the future!

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Structural design: Moe & Brodsgaard Landscape architecture: Clear Client: St. Frederikslund Holding Completion: 2009 Floor area: 62,000 m² Use: Residential, commercial, offices, gastronomy, daycare Number of housing units: 476 (rental and ownership) with three unit types (65–144 m²)

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Richard Mortensens Vej, Ørestad Syd 🌐8tallet.dk @the8house #8tallet

BIG

Value-Added Living 8 Tallet

Literally at the end of the city of Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest private residential building to date, the 8 Tallet (8 House), with 475 residential units. As part of the Ørestad development project, the plot of land directly adjoins the flat meadowlands of Kalvebod Fælled, a nature preserve on the Baltic Sea. The masterplan for this area includes a dense development of residential and office buildings, which will benefit from their close proximity to the metro station. Instead of using different building types for the various programme requirements, the architects at BIG decided to bring all the functions together, creating a lively city within the city. To avoid the monotony of the large housing estates from the 1970s, they applied a special

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trick. A rectangle with an inner courtyard forms a figure eight, with two green spaces, and a public footpath running through the centre. In order to provide as much light, air, and views for as many inhabitants as possible, the part of the building facing the nature preserve is lower, while the part facing the city is higher. A building of this size needs a clear structure to enable ­orientation. At the same time, a neighbourhood thrives on spatial diversity and special qualities of stay. It should cater to the interests of the entire spectrum of users – different age groups and stages of life, singles and families with children. The design principle transfers the quality of the city into the building structure and layers the functions on top of each other. Three different types of housing emerge above a glazed base with commercial and office use on the north side. Two-storey terraced houses are followed by classic apartments, and then topped by penthouses with roof gardens. A 3-metre-wide public path leads from the ground floor to the top level and back again, sometimes along the inner edge and sometimes at the outer edge. According to building law, officially it is only an escape route. However, it is clearly noticeable that the ramp is used for much more – as a play street, promenade, jogging track, and simply a place to meet. At the lowest point of the volume, a restaurant, open to the general public, marks the transition between the housing complex and nature. Meanwhile, the common areas are located in the middle of the figure eight. Vertically connected guest apartments, as well as a daycare centre, event hall, and a party room outfitted with a kitchen and roof terrace can all be used by the residents. The two differently designed inner courtyards are more introverted and primarily for use by the residents, while the forecourts created at the bend have more public appeal. The housing complex thus becomes an important neighbourhood element that connects the diverse architecture around it.

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Engineer: MOE Client: Lejerbo Completion: 2018 Effective area: 6,800 m² Use: Residential Number of housing units: 66 (60–115 m²)

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Dortheavej 2, ­Bispebjerg/Nordvest #dortheavej

BIG

Homes for All Dortheavej Residence

The culturally diverse Bispebjerg district in the northwest of Copenhagen is characterized by housing estates built between the 1930s and 1950s. For their design of the Dortheavej social housing complex, the architects looked to the planning principles of urban planner Jan Gehl, which prioritize the wellbeing of residents in the design of squares, streets, and districts. In addition to providing urgently needed living space, the architects aimed to create a public space that would improve residents’ quality of life while preserving existing pedestrian paths and the adjacent green spaces. Not only were sociocultural aspects important to consider, but also how to optimize spatial quality given the strict budget for materials and construction.

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A system was developed based on a single prefabricated module that is repeatedly stacked and staggered. This creates a recognizable checkerboard pattern, which further enhances the vertical and horizontal wooden planks of the facade. The combination of the modules yields room heights of up to 3.5 metres. The living room and kitchen are located in the more transparent part of the unit, which has higher ceilings, while the more private spaces have lower ceilings. The five-storey building has 66 residential units of different sizes. Stacking the modules also created additional space for retracted balconies, which add depth to the facade on the south side. Full-length windows allow plenty of daylight to enter the interior while offering a generous view of the either the inner courtyard or the surrounding district. The materials are kept simple: wood and unfinished concrete surfaces contrast with a few coloured areas. To avoid monotony and create a public space, the long, narrow building curves in the middle, creating an urban square that faces the street. On the other side of the building the ground floor opens up to an enclosed green courtyard, which the residents of Dortheavej and their neighbours can use for leisure activities. This unique solution for public housing and a public square shows that affordable housing need not be boring, but can shape the identity of an entire neighbourhood.

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Engineer: ÅF Buildings Denmark Landscape design: Arkitema Architects Client: Danica Pension Completion: 2017/2019 Effective area: 29,585 m²; 6,000 m² parking spaces Use: Residential Number of housing units: Approx. 500; 150 in the high-rise Number of occupants: Approx. 700

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Borgmestervangen 5–31, Nørrebro 🌐nordbro.dk @nordbrodk #nordbro

Arkitema

Living High Nordbro

The appeal of Copenhagen, with its mix of modern higher education institutions and the laid-back Danish way of life, means that student numbers are growing every year. But housing for the young, well-educated generation is in short supply, which is why entire quarters geared towards students and academics have been developed in recent years. One of these newly built ensembles is Nordbro, where seven residential blocks plus a 30-storey tower provide living space for 700 students and guest researchers. As a counter-model to the gated community, the design's central aim was to create a lively, dynamic location that is equally attractive for the new residents and the existing multicultural neighbourhood of Nørrebro, transforming it into a new urban hotspot.

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Inspired by the characteristically slender towers of the city's landmarks, the architects developed a high-rise residential building with 150 dwellings, each with 42 to 115 square metres of space, and distributed over 29 floors. From two- and three-room apartments for flat-sharing students and young families, to studio apartments with access to a communal kitchen on the floor, the dwellings have been designed to meet the needs of residents pursuing a variety of lifestyles. The six- to seven-storey blocks surrounding the tower were also planned as student apartments. Each floor has up to 11 units, grouped around common areas. A large garden for outdoor activities is available to all residents. The entire ensemble is based on the idea of a public ground floor. All of the common areas, such as the entrances, bicycle parking, fitness facilities, laundry machines, a café, a multipurpose room and a study room, are strategically arranged to provide a mix of functions and users. On the 30th floor of the tower, a public viewing platform offers wide views over the city. In reference to Denmark's classic building material, the lower residential blocks are clad in reddish-brown brick, with attached balconies made of anodized aluminium. The high-rise also takes up this colour canon, but uses specially designed anodized aluminium panels in the facade, which together with the glass surfaces create an interesting interplay of light and shadow, homogeneity and plasticity.

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Structural design, building services: Cowi Engineer: Niras Landscape design: Marianne Levinsen Landskabsarkitekt; Henrik Jørgensen Landskab Art in architecture: Aggebo & Henriksen Client: The Tietgenkollegiet Foundation Completion: 2006 Site area: 13,190 m² Floor area: 21,880 m² plus 4,635 m² basement Living space: 10,955 m² Use: Residential Number of occupants: 390 Number of housing units: 330 one-room units (26–33 m²); 30 two-room units (42–48 m²)

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Rued Langgaards Vej 10–18, Ørestad Nord 🌐tietgenkollegiet.dk @tietgenkollegiet #tietgenkollegiet

Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter

Collective and Individual Tietgenkollegiet

Community life plays a major role in Denmark. But in order for this to function, not only must it be upheld by common values but also structurally, by adequate buildings and neighbourhoods. A good example of how architecture and community spirit can form a symbiotic unit is the Tietgenkollegiet (Tietgen Residence Hall), a student dormitory in Ørestad Nord. Surrounded by new university buildings, office buildings, and residential complexes, the dormitory pleasantly breaks with the district’s otherwise linear structure in terms of form and materiality. For their competition entry the architects already had the idea of a circular floor plan as the perfect solution for the dormitory, both functionally and symbolically.

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The concept is based on the interplay of individuality and community. A radial structure forms the spatial and structural backbone. While individual rooms face the outside, the common areas, corridors, open spaces, and terraces face the central inner courtyard, which serves as a large communal space. The volume is divided into five vertical sections, which can all be accessed by a passageway on the ground floor. This is also where all of the public areas – workshops, washrooms, and mailboxes, work and meeting rooms, as well as the bicycle storage areas – are located, visible through large glass windows. On the six upper floors, each block holds 12 apartments, which are variously arranged around common areas. Three types of apartment, together with varying room depths, result in a typological diversity. Residents have access to the areas used by the entire residence hall, to the common areas of the individual block, and to their own private space. While the materiality of the outer shell and the arrangement of the windows make the circular form clearly legible, the facade facing the inner courtyard is animated by the expressive projections and recesses of the stacked, cantilevered dwellings. Carefully coordinated materials – exposed concrete surfaces, screed flooring, and plywood panelling – give the rooms a minimalist yet comfortable feel. One of the planning challenges was to develop a simple building form that would yield multiple options through repetition and variation without breaking the budget. Three, two-storey boxes, which cantilever up to 8 metres, contain the kitchens and common rooms. These are supported by a clever system made of in-situ concrete and precast concrete elements. The tectonic approach in the interplay between form, function, construction, and material gives the dormitory its sculptural expression.

302 housing

2 1 3

1 4

5 6 8

7

8

9

Site plan, scale 1:15000

1 University of Copenhagen 2 Islands Brygge metro station

3 University square 4 Royal Danish Library

27 Tietgenkollegiet Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter ○

5 Amager 8 Housing campus 9 Danish 6 Tietgenkollegiet Broadcasting 7 IT University Corp.

303

15 15

14 16

Section, ground floor plan, scale 1:1000

1 Main entrance 2 Reception 3 Office

4 Bicycle storage 5 Workshop 6 Kitchen

16

7 Meeting space 8 Assembly room 9 Music room

10 Study space 11 Computer café 12 Post/ Laundry room

13 Terrace 14 Courtyard 15 Balcony 16 Basement garage

13 7 9 6

8

4 7 10

7

7 7 10

4 14 5 7

4 3 5

2 1

9 5 12

304 housing

11

27 Tietgenkollegiet Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter ○

305

306 housing

Third floor plan, scale 1:1000

1 Communal kitchen

2 Group living space

3 Balcony

3

2

1 1

2 3

Dwelling group, scale 1:400

4 Entrance landing 5  Communal kitchen

6 Balcony 7 Laundry room 8 Group living room

9 Room type a (26 m²) 10 Room type b (29 m²)

11 Room type c (33 m²) 12 Two-room flat

6 6

6 9

10

11 12

7 4

4 5

27 Tietgenkollegiet Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter ○

6

8

307

Architects

3XN

Adept

Arkitema

Arup

Copenhagen/ Stockholm/New York/ Sydney

Struenseegade 15A, 4. DK-2200 København N

Aarhus/Copenhagen/ Stockholm/Malmö/Oslo

[email protected] adept.dk @adeptarchitects

Ny Carlsberg Vej 120 DK-1799 København

Axel Towers Axeltorv 2k, 3rd floor DK-1609 København V

3XN Copenhagen Kanonbådsvej 8 DK-1437 København K [email protected] 3xn.com @3xnarchitects

BIG

C.F. Møller

Cebra

Cobe

Copenhagen/London/ Barcelona/New York

Aarhus/Copenhagen/ Aalborg/Oslo/London/ Stockholm/Berlin/ Malmö

Aarhus/Abu Dhabi

Pakhus 54 Orientkaj 4, st. DK-2150 Nordhavn

Kløverbladsgade 56 DK-2500 Valby [email protected] big.dk @big-builds

310 APPENDIX

info-arkitema@ ­arkitema.dk arkitema.com @arkitema

[email protected] arup.com @arupgroup

C.F. Møller Danmark Hillerødgade 30A, 2. sal. DK-2200 København N [email protected] cfmoller.com @cfmoller_architects

Vesterbro Torv 3, 2nd floor DK-8000 Aarhus C [email protected] cebraarchitecture.dk @cebra_architecture

[email protected] cobe.dk @cobearchitects

Dorte Mandrup EFFEKT ­Arkitekter Vesterbrogade 95A, 4th floor DK-1620 København V

Blågårdsgade 8, 2. sal DK-2200 København N

[email protected] dortemandrup.dk @dorte_mandrup

JDS Copenhagen/Brussels

[email protected] effekt.dk @effektarchitects

JJW Arkitekter

Gottlieb ­Paludan ­Architects

JAJA Architects Heimdalsgade 35, 3. – baghuset DK-2200 København N

Copenhagen/Malmö/ Oslo/Trondheim

[email protected] ja-ja.dk [email protected] @jaja_architects gottliebpaludan.com @gottliebpaludan­ architects

Lundgaard & Tranberg ­Arkitekter

MVRDV Rotterdam/Shanghai/ Paris/Berlin

JDS Architects Copenhagen Slotsgade 2, 4th Floor DK-2200 København N

Frederiksberg/Malmö Finsensvej 78 DK-2000 Frederiksberg

Pilestræde 10, 3. sal DK-1112 København K

Achterklooster 7 NL-3011 RA Rotterdam

[email protected] jdsa.eu @jdsarchitects

[email protected] jjw.dk @jjwarktiekter

[email protected] ltarkitekter.dk @lundgaardtranberg

[email protected] mvrdv.nl @mvrdv

Nøhr & OMA Ramboll Group ­Sigsgaard Rotterdam/Hong Kong/ Hannemanns Allé 53 Arkitekterfirma New York/Beijing/Doha/ DK-2300 København S Dubai/Sydney

Slotsgade 2, 3. tv DK-2200 København N [email protected] nsark.dk @nohrogsigsgaard

Weena-Zuid 158 NL-3012 NC, Rotterdam

Superflex Nyborggade 13 DK-2100 København Ø

ramboll.com @rambollgroup

[email protected] superflex.net @superflexstudio

Vilhelm ­Lauritzen ­Architects

[email protected] oma.eu @oma.eu

Sweco ­Architects

Topotek 1

Urban Agency

Berlin/Zurich

Stockholm/Berlin/ Copen­hagen/Helsinki Ørestads Boulevard 41 DK-2300 København S

Topotek 1 Gesellschaft von Landschaftsarchitekten Sophienstrasse 18 DE-10178 Berlin

Copenhagen/Dublin/ Dusseldorf/Lyon

[email protected] sweco.dk @swecodanmark

[email protected] Topotek1.de @topotek1

KØBENHAVN. Urban Architecture and Public Spaces

Glentevej 70A DK-2400 København NV office@urban-agency. com urban-agency.com

Pakhus 48 Sundkaj 153, 1.tv DK-2150 Nordhavn [email protected] vla.dk @vilhelmlauritzenarchitects

311

Imprint, Picture Credits

Editor: Sandra ­Hofmeister

Project Manager: Sandra Leitte

Design: strobo B M

Authors: Eva Herrmann (project texts), ­ Sandra Hofmeister, Jakob Schoof

Editorial Support: Charlotte ­Petereit

Illustrations: Barbara Kissinger Emese Köszegi

Interviews: Dorte Mandrup, Kim Herforth Nielsen, Dan Stubbergaard

Paper: Munken Print White 90 g, vol. 1.8 © 2021, first edition DETAIL Business Information GmbH, Munich detail.de

German Copyediting: Sandra Leitte, Reproduction: Katrin Pollems-Braunfels Ludwig Media AT-Zell am See English Translation: Alisa Kotmair Printing and Binding: Eberl & Kœsel GmbH & Co. KG DE-Altusried-Krugzell

This work is protected by copyright. Unauthorized duplication of its contents, even in part, is not permitted and punishable in accordance with copyright law.

The German National Library lists this publication in the German National Bibliography. Detailed bibliographical data can be found at: http://dnb.d-nb.de.

ISBN (print) 978-3-95553-538-4 ISBN (eBook) 978-3-95553-539-1

312

APPENDIX

Picture credits: Als, Christian, pp. 144–145 Baan, Iwan, pp. 24, 27, 32 bottom, 34–35, 286–287 Bach, Ursula, p. 110 Bolther, Bo, p. 214 By & Havn/photo: Ole Malling, p. 172 Céline Au détour d’un chemin, p. 13 centre Cobe, Sleth, Polyform, Rambøll, pp. 6, 16, 90, 140, 234

Cycle Superhighway Bicycle Account 2019, p. 88 Danica Pension, p. 298 Enoch, Pernille, pp. 106, 112–113 Eriksen, Line, p. 133 Eskerod, Torben, pp. 30–31, 32 top, 142– 143, 213, 216, 220–221 Heiberg, Martin, pp. 82, 283 Hjortshøj, Rasmus – Coast, pp. 22–23, 36–46, 50, 52, 54, 57–58, 60, 63, 64, 66–68, 72–74, 87, 121,

124–127, 134, 137–139, 148, 151–153, 156–157, 175, 179, 194, 228, 231– 233, 236–237, 240–242, 244–246, 248–250, 253–254, 256–257, 288, 291–293 Hofmeister, Sandra, p. 85 bottom Holsegaard, Enok, pp. 76, 79, 80 Hufton+Crow, pp. 98, 101–102, 104–105 Københavns Stadsarkiv, pp. 168 (photo: Johannes J. Danielsen), 171

Lindhe, Jens Markus, pp. 33, 176 bottom, 210, 297, 300, 303, 305–306 Lundberg, Viggo, p. 180 Magasanik, Jan, p. 284 MøllerLøkkegaard, anlaeg-ml.dk, p. 294 Mørk, Adam, pp. 146–147, 158, 160–161, 165–166, 184–188, 191, 193, 199, 201–202, 205–206, 208, 222, 226, 258, 261–262, 265 Ossip, p. 225

Ransome, Nicholas, p. 131 Rasmussen, Astrid Maria, pp. 94–97, 118 Rasmussen, Daniel, pp. 13 top, 176 top Room 606 at Radisson Collection Royal Hotel Copenhagen, pp. 10–11 Stamer, Laura, pp. 266, 269, 270, 272–273, 278 Stange, Ty, p. 280 Sune Berg, Anders, pp. 18–19 Supercykelstier, p. 85 top

The City of Copenhagen/ Troels Heien, p. 84 The Copenhagen Metro, p. 71 Tivoli Gardens, pp. 92– 93 (photo: Lasse Salling), 114 (Tivoli Marketing), 117 (photo: Christian Ley) Trood, David, p. 209 Urban Agency, pp. 109, 111 Wyon, Kim, pp. 13 bottom, 20–21, 238–239 ZeBU, p. 81

Zwinge Stehen, Karen, p. 128

production of this book, be it through providing photos, granting permission to reproduce their documents, or providing other information. All the drawings were specially produced for this publication. In some cases, we were unable to establish copyright ownership; however, copyright is assured. Please notify us accordingly in such instances.

Cover: Rasmus Hjortshøj – Coast All photos and drawings by OMA and MVRDV: © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2021 The publisher would like to express its sincere gratitude to all those who have assisted in the