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The Port & City Development Corporation

Urban development
– in Ørestad and in the harbour areas of Copenhagen
Contents

Page Page
5 Foreword 34 The first projects
34 Art in Ørestad
7 Port of Copenhagen
9 Main tasks and focus areas 35 The four quarters of Ørestad
36 Residents in Ørestad
9 Søndre Frihavn 36 Schools and day care centres
10 “Critical mass”
10 Langelinie 36 Ørestad Nord
10 The pier-head as a landmark 37 Bikuben Kollegiet
10 Langelinie today 37 Karen Blixen Parken
11 Amerika Plads 38 The Housing Snake”
12 The DFDS Terminal 38 Københavns Universitet Amager KUA
13 “Kobbertårnet” 38 Tietgenkollegiet
39 The IT University
13 Nordhavnen 40 DR Byen
13 Kalkbrænderihavnen 40 The concert hall
15 A public beach
15 Indre Nordhavn 41 The Amager Fælled Quarter
16 Public transport
16 Harbour activities 42 Ørestad City
42 Ferring International Center
17 Inderhavnen 42 Field’s
17 Kvæsthusbroen 43 VM Husene
18 Christiansholm 43 VM Bjerget
44 KLP
18 Sydhavnen 44 Ørestad Down Town
19 Havneholmen and Gasværksholmen 45 Around Ørestad City Park
19 Bryggebroen 46 Signalhuset
20 Enghave Brygge 46 Ørestad Gymnasium
21 Teglholmen
22 Sluseholmen 47 Ørestad Syd
24 Havneparken 47 New urban places and spaces
24 Havnestaden 48 A unique quarter
25 Islands Brygge Syd 49 Hannemanns Allé
26 A new urban quarter 49 EUROPAN
28 South of Sjællandsbroen 49 Copenhagen Towers

28 Østhavnen/Prøvestenen

31 Ørestad Development Corporation


32 Ørestad – a central city quarter in the Sound region
32 The founding of the Ørestad Development Corporation
32 The general Ørestad plan
The Port & City Development Corporation I/S was founded on the 26th of Octo-
ber 2007. The new corporation is responsible for the development of areas in
Copenhagen Harbour and Ørestad and for the maritime activities in the Port of
Copenhagen. In connexion with the establishment of the Corporation, Port of
Copenhagen Ltd. and the Ørestad Development Corporation I/S were discon-
tinued.
With the present document we wish to take stock of the parts of the last
10 years’ development of Copenhagen to which the Port of Copenhagen Ltd.
and the Ørestad Development Corporation have contributed. We look back on
the projects that the two corporations have assisted in launching, and we look at
the projects waiting to be launched by The Port & City Development Corporation
in the time to come.
The ambitions of the new Corporation are very high indeed: we want to create
urban districts of international class – vibrant with life. Neighbourhoods that
are attractive to live in, and work in, and that are also exciting to visitors. Also in
fifty years’ time. And in a hundred years’ time.

Jens Kramer Mikkelsen


Managing Director
The Port & City Development Corporation I/S


Port of Copenhagen


Fiskerihavn

Svanemøllebugten

Svaneknoppen Færg
ehav
n Nor
d

2.1 2.3
Nordhavnsområdet
Svanemøllehavnen

nen
ihav

er
rænd
Kalkb
Skud
eløb
Frihavnen et

Orie
ntba
ssinet

Kron
løbsba Kronløbet
2.2
ssinet

Øresund
inet
Nordbass

Trekroner

1.1 Yderhavnen

rg
ete
rm
ina

1.2
l

Langelinie
Middelgrund
Sdr. Frihavn
Lynettehavnen

Deponeringsplads

Refshaleøen

Kastellet

Ndr. Toldbod
Østhavnen

Inderhavnen
Nyholm
Margretheholmen

Kongedybet
ven
sgra

Dokøen
sthu

en
Kvæ

sbro

3.1
Prøvestenen
olm
sthu

Frederiksholm
nsh
Kvæ

Nyh

n
stia

ne
avn

3.2

av
Chri

sh
ten
es
øv
Pr
al

Arsenaløen
an
sK
vn
ha
ns

5.
ro
tia

b
ris

els
ipp
Ch

Kn

Christianshavn
ro
eb
ng
La

Kalvebod Brygge 4.5


Islands Brygge
n
ne
av

en
dh

vn
ha
Sy

ks
ær
sv
Ga

4.1 4.6
en
ergrav
Tømm

4.2 Amager

Fred
erik
4.7
sho
lmsl
øbet

4.3
Teglholmen
Teglværks-
havnen

Amager Fælled

4.4
t
be
selø
Slu

Sjæ
llan
dsb
roe
n
Fiskerhavnen

4.8 be
t 1. Søndre Frihavn 4. Sydhavnen
dlø
bo
lve
Ka
1.1 Langelinie 4.1 Havneholmen og Gasværkshavnen
1.2 Amerika Plads 4.2 Enghave Brygge
Plan of the areas in Copenhagen Harbour, where 4.3 Teglholmen
Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. has been involved in various 2. Nordhavnen 4.4 Sluseholmen
projects. All areas marked in the chart are mentioned
in the description of Port of Copenhagen.
2.1 Kalkbrænderihavnen 4.5 Havneparken
2.2 Indre Nordhavn 4.6 Havnestaden
2.3 Øvrige Nordhavn 4.7 Islands Brygge Syd
4.8 Karens Minde
3. Inderhavnen
3.1 Kvæsthusbroen 5. Østhavnen/Prøvestenen
3.2 Christiansholm


Main tasks and focus areas quality promenades along the water were pivotal in the work.
The final report of the cooperation appeared in the
Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. had two main tasks: the manage- publication Kvalitetsbyggeri i Københavns Havn in 2001
ment of a commercial harbour and urban development. (high-quality buildings in the Port of Copenhagen). The
This appears from legislation on the establishment in 1992. report takes as its starting point the segmentation of the
Since 2001 the activities in the commercial harbour harbour into three focus areas: Nordhavnen, Inderhavnen,
have been managed jointly by Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. and Sydhavnen.
and Malmö Hamn A/B through the company Copenhagen
Malmö Port AB (CMP). The establishment of this coopera-
tion created both a Danish-Swedish port for the Øresund Søndre Frihavn
region and a point of departure for transport and logistics
in Scandinavia and the Baltic. The Søndre Frihavn area has undergone extensive urban
Since the mid-1980s, the commercial harbour activities development in recent years. Among other things, the devel-
have been concentrated in Nordhavnen and at Prøvestenen opment included construction on Midtermolen, Indiakaj,
in Østhavnen. Developments in the transport industry are Capellakaj, the west side of Langelinie/Østkaj and the res-
among the causes of the radical change in the traffic in the toration of Dahlerup’s warehouse. Along the east side of
port of Copenhagen. Container carriers set a new agenda Dampfærgevej, Warehouses 11 and 12 have been renovat-
for port management, and the environmental requirements ed together with Silo Warehouse B, today occupied by Dan-
have been changed. Modern port management has ren- ish Regions. New housing and offices have been added.
dered old wharves and warehouses superfluous, but, at
the same time, opened the possibility for additions to Copen-
hagen of new urban quarters. The wish to develop some
of the City’s most attractive waterfront sites was great.
Combined, these elements were catalysts in the last 10 to
15 years’ rapid and extensive urban development.
Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. has contributed actively to a
number of the many new environments that have mush-
roomed along the waterfront from about the middle of the
1990s till today. The development has involved both residen-
tial and business environments, besides recreational areas.
In recent years, large parts of the planning of Copen-
hagen Harbour reverted to the focus-area planning from
1999. The City of Copenhagen decided that a general plan
should be prepared for Copenhagen Harbour, and in the The original design for Søndre Frihavn by West 8, the Dutch
summer of 1999 cooperation was established between Port architectural firm. The main elements consist of Amerika
Plads as a very compact urban space, Midtermolen, prolonged
of Copenhagen, Ltd., the City of Copenhagen, the Ministry
by means of a small dock with residential buildings, the
of Environment and Energy, and Freja Ejendomme A/S. DFDS Terminal in connexion with Amerika Plads, and the
The purpose of the general plan was to preserve the development of Nordbassinet with residential buildings
designed like floating row houses.
amenities of the harbour and protect the special character-
istics of the individual area. The precise object of the co- The focus planning of 1999 concentrated on the area
operation was to define the guidelines for the development from Kastellet (the Tulip junction) to Nordbassinet and the
of Copenhagen Harbour and in that way ensure that a areas around Dampfærgevej or Amerika Plads, as it is
future conversion would result in urban districts and com- called today. The Dutch architectural firm West 8 from
posite units of high quality. Rotterdam with urban planner Adriaan Geuze as its pro-
The work to a high degree built on European experi- fessional leader, was appointed to be in charge of the
ence gleaned from, among other places, Paris, Hamburg urban development. The fundamental ideas behind the
and Amsterdam – indeed from modern Western ports, development of this section of the harbour are large blocks
where industrial storehouses and freighters were in the as those seen at Østerbro (the neighbourhood to the
process of disappearing. Especially the meetings of water west), “towers“ or tall buildings as the landmarks of the
and land, the possibilities of giving the public access to the area, and the integration of maritime functions with hous-
harbour, and, connected with that, the creation of broad, high- ing and business activities in a compact urban neighbour-


hood – the vision being, by means of this melange, to devel- The pier-head as a landmark
op further a characteristic Copenhagen architecture.
According to ATP, the Langelinie pier-head is intended to
“Critical mass” become a Copenhagen landmark, which has been incor-
porated in the district plan. The present district plan per-
The concept ‘critical mass “ has played an essential role mits building up to a height of 35 metres, but ATP have a
for Adriaan Geuze in his endeavour to create a new and vision of a building with one or more towers and want to
lively part of the city: Urban building must be compact and depart from the ”warehouse style” that characterizes the
high. A city will never come alive unless the prerequisites buildings along Langelinie Allé. Therefore, ATP have sug-
for life are present. In order to thrive, shops, institutions, gested a revision of the local plan, once the winner of the
cafés, restaurants, etc. all require a sizable population as competition has been found.
their foundation. In connexion with the development of Langelinie, a
number of problems concerning noise have arisen. The wis-
Langelinie dom of placing residential buildings in the area when there
is a risk of complaints about noise from cruise liners and
The Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. has participated in the devel- from the DFDS Terminal has been questioned. The future
opment of offices and housing at Langelinie, once a part construction of residential buildings may therefore be in
of the original Frihavn (free port) from 1894. In 1999, Port the balance – the uncertainty being further strengthened
of Copenhagen, Ltd. sold building sites to NCC. The two by today’s more restrictive environmental requirements
sites closest to the head of the Langelinie Pier were sold regarding noise levels.
to ATP Ejendomme, who in 2006 found two users, Bech-
Bruun, the law firm, and FIH Erhvervsbank, the merchant Langelinie today
bankers, who are both located in the neighbourhood, and
in need of more space. Formerly, the old warehouses under the raised promenade
ATP are planning an architectural competition for the at Langelinie were used for the storage of freight; today,
last undeveloped site in the area. The competition was however, they are used as factory outlets – that is, outlets
launched in 2007. ATP and the City of Copenhagen are for famous brands – and other boutiques. The Langelinie
united in the wish to include the other sites at the head of pier is still used for the mooring of ships, especially cruise
Langelinie in the competition, so that the outcome will be a liners.
general plan for the improvement of the entire head of the Langelinie is popular with the tourists. This is where one
Langelinie Pier. finds The Little Mermaid, a tourist attraction – and Bjørn

Nowadays, Langelinie is still used by cruise liners, besides being a much-favoured attraction for Copenhageners. In connexion with planned
development at the pier-head, the plan is to use the lower stories for public purposes, galleries, assembly rooms, cafés and restaurants.

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Amerika Plads, located between Dampfærgevej and Kalkbrænderihavnsgade, will become the centre in the new development in Søndre Frihavn.
The square will be the same size as Amagertorv (one of the more famous urban squares in the city centre). So, at long last, the Langelinie area,
known for its many promenades, eventually gets a square.

Nørgaard’s modern, ‘genetically modified’ mermaid. The Adriaan Geuze’s idea and vision for Amerika Plads were
completion of the head of the Langelinie pier will finalize the creation of a compact and active urban environment,
one of the numerous development projects launched in characterized by large building blocks of varying shape
Copenhagen Harbour in recent years. and height – a modern version of Østerbro. The plan for
the street level contains shops and restaurants, opening
Amerika Plads on a square in the middle of the area. At the north end of
the square, the more than centenarian Frihavns Stations-
Since the summer of 2000, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. has bygning (station building) has been re-erected.
been developing the area between the streets Kalkbræn- Besides the creation of a square – an urban space with
derihavnsgade and Dampfærgevej – the former DanLink a unifying function – the general plan for Amerika Plads
area. The area used to serve as shunting yard for the also takes as its point of departure the Nordisk Fjer build-
train ferries to Helsingborg, Sweden, but went out of use ing and the old DSB railway yards. Towards the west,
with the construction of the Øresund Bridge in 2000. along Kalkbrænderihavnsgade, the new buildings have
Years ago, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. and TK Develop- been proportioned to agree with the Nordisk Fjer building.
ment A/S recognized the potentials of the areas and Furthest to the south, architects Lundgaard and Tranberg’s
bought them from DSB (today Banedanmark), estimating building, “Fyrtårnet”, is intended to continue the house row
that the old railway and ferry areas were large enough to from Nordisk Fjer, as well as complete and end it. The
house a new DFDS Terminal as well as both residential construction of this landmark at the south end of Amerika
and business buildings. Plads was commenced in the beginning of 2006. The
Adriaan Geuze’s architectural firm, West 8, of Rotterdam house will have 15 stories, all residential.
developed a general plan for the area for Port of Copen- Towards the north, vis-à-vis the DFDS Terminal, stands
hagen, Ltd. and the City of Copenhagen. “Kobbertårnet”. The intention is that the tower and the

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Amerika Plads with ‘Kobbertårnet’ to the left, “Nordlyset” (the Auroral)
in the middle, and one of the restored Twin Warehouses, Pakhus E, to
the right. Between “Kobbertårnet” and “Nordlyset” one may discern
the old Frihavnen Station building.

surrounding buildings constitute a noise buffer between


the traffic at the terminal and the other buildings. The
shapes and heights of these buildings will also match the
proportions of the Nordisk Fjer building. Along Dampfær-
gevej, “Nordlyset”, designed by C.F. Møller, will interact
with the white “Twin Warehouses” from the 1920s, Ware- Building lines at Amerika Plads.
house E and Warehouse D, which are used as domiciles
by a variety of companies. ramps and through long passages. The architects have
One continuous theme in the entire construction is the tried to avoid this and shorten distances as much as pos-
block structure. Amid the big and heavy blocks, a steel sible by collecting all functions in a single long building.
house, “Zinkhuset”, designed by Hvidt & Mølgaard, towers Architecturally, the building has a facade of various types
above the square as a sole exception. There is harmony of glass in a light, modern Scandinavian design. The wish
and diversity at the same time. The architecture becomes to connect closely to the urban surrounding is part of the
different – in height, in colours and shape; but the con- explanation why design and architecture play such important
nexion is still there. roles in the shaping of the Terminal: the green dominance
in the façade was chosen to create a harmony between
The DFDS Terminal the terminal and “Kobbertårnet”, the building right behind it.

Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. has built the DFDS Terminal at


Mellembassinet. The Terminal was finished in September
2004, and DFDS’s routes to Oslo and Polferries’s connexion
to Poland both leave from the terminal. Architects behind
the project are 3xNielsen. The terminal is the result of an
agreement from 1999 between Port of Copenhagen, Ltd.
and DFDS to move the traffic on Oslo further north: from
the Inner Harbour to Søndre Frihavn.
The purpose of the new terminal was to give travellers
a modern and more convenient arrival. At many ferry ser- The DFDS Terminal at Amerika Plads. With the establishment of the
new terminal, large passenger ships in regular service can still sail all
vices passengers must buy their tickets at a centrally located the way to the central parts of the harbour and thereby keep Copen-
post and afterwards reach the ferry by wandering along hagen on the map as a seaport.

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”Kobbertårnet” function side by side, to their mutual enrichment in their
endeavours to create an intensive urban life. The shaping
In 2004, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. and TK Develop- of the public urban spaces and the access to the water
ments A/S built “Kobbertårnet” (the cobber done tower) will be main themes in the future planning further north.
– whose 16 stories make it a landmark of Amerika Plads.
The building was constructed for Plesner, one of Denmark’s
largest law firms. It was designed by Arkitema. Over the Nordhavnen
years to come, this characteristic building will change its
appearance. As the salty winds from the Øresund hit the Nordhavnen comprises the areas north of the DFDS Ter-
copper of the façade, the colour will gradually change. With minal. Its north-westernmost point is the location of the
time, large parts of the façade will acquire the character- new fishing harbour, built as a replacement for the fisher-
istic verdigris well known from a great number of the spires men who were formerly based in Skudehavnen. The area
and rooftops of Copenhagen – and thus also match the has since developed into a ‘home-grown’ environment en-
DFDS Terminal. Kobbertårnet is an important detail in tirely of its own and probably without its equal anywhere
Geuze’s master plan for Søndre Frihavn: it must be a signi- in the capital.
ficant part of the Copenhagen skyline. The new fish market, designed by Kieler Architects A/S,
lies immediately east of the fishing harbour. The fish market
replaced the old fish market at Gasværkshavnen in Syd-
havnen, which has been converted into a shopping centre.
The rest of the Nordhavn area has been leased to a
number of enterprises, such as haulage contractors, ship
chandlers, and scrap dealers. This is also the area where
the harbour activities of the future – based on container
handling – will develop. Nordhavnen is the area where
Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. had its largest properties.

Kalkbrænderihavnen

Kalkbrænderihavnen was the first section of Nordhavnen


that was developed by Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. Originally,
Kalkbrænderihavnen was an area dominated by small
shipyards and minor businesses. In cooperation with PFA,
Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. had a developer’s master plan
for Kalkbrænderihavnen prepared with the purpose of se-
curing architectural coherence in the area. The architec-
tural firm Schmidt, Hammer & Larsen devised the overall
plan. In the course of the period 1999 to 2005, Kalk-
brænderihavnen became a fully developed urban area
With its 16 storeys, ”Kobbertårnet” is a direction finding mark with business buildings and a marina.
for foreign sailors arriving at the entrance to Copenhagen harbour Together with KPC BYG A/S, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd.
and, at the same tim, the landmark of Amerika Plads.
has built a domicile for Accenture, the consulting firm,
and for Den Københavnske Bank. The building was fin-
In connexion with the development of the Amerika Plads ished in May 2001. Sjælsø Gruppen, who bought several
project, several fundamental questions have arisen which sites from Port of Copenhagen, Ltd., has built new head-
will also be relevant in the future urban development of quarters for the IT-firm World Online. PFA is behind an
sections of the harbour further north. One important mat- office building for Kromann Reumert, the law firm. In recent
ter was the question of the population density. Another years, many Danish architectural firms have been en-
question was how co-existence of maritime functions with gaged in the development of Kalkbrænderihavnen. They
the city can be established. have all left their stamp on the area. 3xNielsen, Schmidt,
The new DFDS Terminal and the new buildings at Hammer & Lassen, Dissing+Weitling and Kim Utzon Archi-
Amerika Plads have been designed so that they may tects are some of the architectural firms that have been

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Kalkbrænderihavnen. What used to be an industrial harbour, is today a commercial district and a marina. Numerous Danish architects have
contributed and left their architectural stamp on the area – especially Kim Utzon, who has designed several of the buildings.

involved. Among Kim Utzon’s projects might be mentioned offers clubhouses, winter storage yard, and parking. En-
Paustian’s, the Danish Employers’ Confederation for trance for the public by a promenade off Strandvænget.
Transport and Logistics (ATL), clubhouse and restaurant Svanemøllehavnen is Denmark’s largest marina.
at “Knasten”, and Harbour House’.
In addition to participating in the construction of busi- Svanemøllehavnen – Denmark’s largest marina.
ness buildings in the areas around Kalkbrænderihavnen,
Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. has been involved in the de-
velopment of recreational areas at Svanemøllehavnen/
Svanemøllebugten. Yacht clubs have moved in at Svane-
knoppen. The area is used as a leisure boats facility and

Development plan for Kalkbrænderihavnen. The area has acquired


a mixed character owing to the meeting of two different types of
architecture: the complex buildings of Jørn and Kim Utzon towards
the east, and – towards the west – the more minimalist buildings
of 3xNielsen, Dissing+Weitling, and SHL

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A public beach According to a preliminary schedule, building will com-
mence in 2009. The Port & City Development Corporation
The City of Copenhagen has planned the establishment of a and the City of Copenhagen join efforts in the creation of
public beach in the small bay north of Svaneknoppen, and in a basic plan which may result in a general structural plan for
August 2007 the City Authority endorsed the continued de- Indre Nordhavn and the rest of Nordhavnen. An advisors’
velopment of the project. There is a political wish that the competition is expected to be launched for a general plan
beach is ready for use in the course of 2008, and the estab- of the area.
lishment has been included in the City’s budget for 2008. In connexion with the planning of Søndre Frihavn in
2001, Adriaan Geuze submitted suggestions as to how the
Indre Nordhavn urbanization of the southern part of Nordhavnen, i.e. the
area around Nordbassinet, could be accomplished. Geuze’s
Indre Nordhavn is part of today’s fenced-off Freeport area, idea of housing around Nordhavn Station could possibly
but will become one of the Port & City Development Cor- be incorporated in the planning of the future development
poration’s future developments areas. The fence will be of Nordhavnen.
moved when the development process begins. The Indre
Nordhavn area stretches from Marmormolen as far as to
include Orientbassinet.
The City-ring agreement of February 2, 2006, renders
the development possible of 400,000 floor sqm in Nord-
havnen as Stage 1. This initial stage will take place in Indre
Nordhavn and consist of a combination of residential and
non-residential buildings. At the moment, the exact loca-
tion of a 2. Stage of 200,000 floor sqm is under consid-
eration. After Stage 2, Nordhavnen is expected to receive
further development.
In addition to this, about 70,000 floor sqm of the exist-
ing business properties at Indre Nordhavn can be preserved.
The area is expected to be developed to contain 2,000
dwellings and 200,000 floor sqm non-residential proper-
ties, which corresponds to a population of 4,500 people The Århusgade area has several grain or cement silos.
and 5,000 jobs. Their locations can be seen in the photo below.

The initial stages in the development of Nordhavnen. 2,000 dwellings and 200,000 floor sqm for business purposes are planned in Stage 1.
When the urban development starts, the fence will be moved, and the area will no longer be part of the Freeport.

(2.)-3. Stage 2. Stage

1. Stage

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Harbour activities

Altogether the Nordhavn areas total about 2 million sqm


and are the property of the Port & City Development Corpo-
ration – apart from the sites around Kalkbrænderihavnen,
which have now been fully developed as an urban area. In
municipal as well as local planning the areas have been re-
served for maritime purposes. Today Nordhavnen is a busi-
ness section, comprising a container terminal, a car terminal,
a cruise liner terminal and several logistics enterprises.

In connexion with the planning of Søndre Frihavn in 1999, the


Dutch town planner Adriaan Geuze prepared first drafts for a possible Commercial harbour with container and car terminals
urbanization of Indre Nordhavn, here visualized in a model by Cruise liner terminal
architects Hasløv and Kjærsgaard. Recreational area
Present location of container and car terminals
Development area

Public transport

Indre Nordhavn is situated quite close to Nordhavn Station


on the metropolitan railway. There are plans for the mod-
ernization of the station by providing direct access from
the harbour side and by an increase in the transport ser-
vices at Nordhavnen. At first this will mean more bus con-
nexions, and the construction of a Metro at a later stage
is under deliberation.
A new road connexion between Kalkbrænderhavns-
gade and Lyngbyvej (the motorway to Elsinore) is being
planned, which will provide both the new urban section
and the commercial harbour with an attractive connexion
to the motorway net. The road is part of a political agree-
ment between the state and the City of Copenhagen,
which is backed by a majority of the political parties in the The Board of Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. wished to be part
Folketing (i.e. the Danish Parliament.). Construction might of the endeavour to secure Copenhagen’s position as the
commence in 2010, and the connexion may be in service leading Scandinavian cruise destination, and the develop-
in 2014. The City of Copenhagen is in charge of the con- ment of Nordhavnen may help achieve this. On December
struction work. 6, 2006, the Board decided to examine the possibility of
establishing a new quay for cruise liners along the entrance
The map shows the proposed road connexion between Kalk- to Copenhagen Harbour – at Kronløbet – and permit a
brænderihavnsgade and the Elsinore Motorway, which would
future relocation of the container and the car terminals to
facilitate traffic to and from the new urban area. The exact
siting and layout of the connexion is under consideration. a reclaimed area in the north-eastern part of Nordhavnen.
The new quays and a terminal are expected to be ready in
three or four years. The public authorities and the firms
involved will now jointly examine the plan in its entirety.
The relocation of the container terminal and the car
terminal should be viewed in connexion with the ongoing
development and planning of the Nordhavn areas, including
Indre Nordhavn. Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. have carried
out noise level analyses that have indicated that the present
location of the container terminal restricts the possibilities
of an optimal reconstruction.

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Inderhavnen Kvæsthusbroen

Inderhavnen is the historic part of Copenhagen Harbour. The ferries for Oslo and Bornholm have been relocated to
The area stretches from Nordre Toldbod to Langebro. As the new DFDS Terminal in Søndre Frihavn and to Køge –
one of the three focus areas, it was the object of an analysis a market town south of Copenhagen – respectively. This
by Henning Larsen Architects in order to point out the relocation made the site at Kvæsthusbroen available and
possibilities of placing large centres for the performing created the possibility of building a new arts- centre-cum-
arts and public institutions here. The conclusion of the stage: the Royal Theatre’s new playhouse at Sankt Annæ
work was that there was room for a playhouse and concert Plads. Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. sold the sites to the Danish
halls on the grand scale – at a time when a new opera Ministry of Culture. After winning an international architec-
house was not yet in the offing. The work was carried out tural competition, Lundgaard and Tranberg were chosen as
as a series of volume studies describing permitted heights architects for the task. Construction began in 2004 and
at a number of sensitive locations in Copenhagen’s inner the house was inaugurated in February 2008.
harbour – a precursor, as it were, to today’s debate on the The new playhouse has three stages of different sizes.
skyline of the city, on tower blocks and high-rises. The most striking feature of the exterior is the top storey
with its undivided glass façade, behind which there are fa-
cilities for actors and administration. The architects chose
to move the house forward into the harbour, as it were,
and the audience enters by slightly sloping ramps, which,
besides being the point of arrival, serve as a promenade
with a view of the water.

The Opera House in the Inner Harbour is perhaps the best-


known building in Copenhagen Harbour. The Opera was designed
by Henning Larsen Architects and was inaugurated in 2005. The Playhouse at Kvæsthusbroen. The first performance took
place in February 2008. Just north of the Opera House, Christians-
holm with the newsprint storehouse can be identified.

17
Christiansholm been planned and has developed, Christiansholm will
become the central point of the harbour.
Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. owns Christiansholm, presently Among other things, the building of a rendezvous has
leased to Danske Dagblade, an association of Danish daily been suggested, a “Town House” with, say, exhibitions and
newspapers, who use it for newsprint storage. So far no restaurants. Recently the idea of turning Christiansholm
decision has been made as to the further development of into a residential area has been put forward.
Christiansholm.
Danske Dagblade’s lease is interminable until 2017.
Owing to the long distances involved in the deliverances Sydhavnen
of newsprint to the newspaper printing offices, today no
longer located in central Copenhagen, the lessees have con- Sjoerd Soeters, the Dutch architect, was commissioned to
sidered shifting the storage facility away from the harbour. devise a plan for Sydhavnen, that is the area from Kalve-
Christiansholm’s central location immediately suggests bod Brygge in the north to Sluseholmen in the south.
that the area be used for activities targeted at the general Soeters took as his point of departure two development
public. However, today the placing of cultural institutions projects from Amsterdam, the two artificial islands used
and events at Christiansholm is but one of many options. for housing, “Java Island” and “Borneo Island”, where the
Henning Larsen Architects aired the possibility of placing surface of the water is brought into close encounter with
a concert hall there, but the plans were abandoned when modern residential buildings in a visionary and experimental
the Danish Radio announced their plans for a concert hall way. In addition to this, the concept has been enriched
in connexion with their new domicile in Ørestad. through an interpretation of aspects of the typology of
As part of the inner harbour, Christiansholm has a cen- Copenhagen – in this case, the blocks in the old inner sub-
tral location, placed as it is in the lines of sight from both urbs of Copenhagen with their enclosed courtyards, offering
the northern and the southern end of the harbour pas- shelter from the winds, become waterfront dwellings.
sage. In accordance with the ways in which the city has

In order to obtain the greatest variety possible, more than 30 architectural firms have participated in the design of the façades at Sluseholmen.

18
Havneholmen and Gasværksholmen The basic idea behind Wingårdh’s winning project con-
sisted in building elements placed at right angles to the
In 2005 Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. sold their property at harbour passage with characteristic oblique roofs, sloping
Havneholmen to the Sjælsø Group. Prior to that, Port of towards the central thoroughfare. In this way Havneholmen
Copenhagen, Ltd. and Skanska Øresund commissioned a will acquire its own architectonic expression at the har-
general plan for the area. In connexion with this, Port of bour passage and form a gateway, if you like, or opening
Copenhagen, Ltd., Skanska Øresund and the City of Copen- into the southern harbour.
hagen jointly decided that the general character of the Another fundamental idea in the winning project is the
area should be examined from several angles. design of an urban space that bridges the transition from
An architectural competition was launched in the shape the waterside dwellings to the office buildings facing the
of a parallel assignment between three architectural firms. Fisketorvet shopping centre and the Aller domicile at the
The participants were the Danish firms Exe Architects northernmost point.
and Bystrup Arkitekter, and Gert Wingårdh from Gothen-
burg, Sweden. The final evaluation pointed to Wingårdh’s Bryggebroen
project as the most visionary proposal for the area.
Havneholmen is also the location of Bryggebroen across
On sites previously owned by Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. at Havneholmen, the harbour to the Havnestaden. Moreover, the urban
Sjælsø are in the process of realizing a housing project where the
out-door areas are merged into the harbour promenade in a new and space will provide the hinterland of the open-air swimming
different version of urban spaces along a waterfront. Architects: facility, ‘the harbour baths’, to be established immediately
Lundgaard and Tranberg.
south of the bridge.
Bryggebroen was opened in September 2006. This bridge
will be of special importance as a connexion between the
Vesterbro quarter of Copenhagen and Islands Brygge. The
bridge was designed by architects Dissing+Weitling.
The area as a whole is intended to be an active part of
the canal village planned in Sydhavnen and form the north-
ern fringe of the latter. In a few years, when all the con-
struction work has been finished and connexions to the
surrounding parts of the city have been established,
Havnestaden will appear as a coherent neighbourhood
with an identity of its own. A very compact quarter with
open-air space and well-balanced architecture that takes
advantage of its waterside location.
Sjælsø is behind a housing project that introduces new
and supplementary canals compared to the previous plan

Rendering of Havneholmen. In the foreground, the open-air swimming bath. The prism-shaped glass building on the right is the
new domicile-to-be of the Aller Group.

19
for Havneholmen. This is a housing project at odds with the trance – a house of glass and steel that feels at ease in
City of Copenhagen’s body of regulations regarding prom- the architectural ensemble at Havneholmen. In combina-
enades along the harbour. In this case the promenade is tion with the Island Hotel, designed by Kim Utzon, the
laid out behind the buildings and a lot of urban spaces Aller building here creates an urban space, a large part of
are created around the new canals. At the same time, the which consists of the surface of the water in the harbour.
façades of the buildings run straight down into the water The Aller building will be shaped like a glass prism; it was
of the harbour. Architects: Lundgaard and Tranberg. designed by PLH Architects.

Enghave Brygge

The Enghave Brygge area is part of Soeter’s general plan


for a canal village in Sydhavnen, and will be developed
as the last stage of the plan. The first two stages will be
Teglholmen and Sluseholmen.
Two developers, JM Danmark and Nordicom, have
bought sites in the area. However, the fate of the develop-
ment plans depends on the resolution of the environmental
problems in connexion with H.C. Ørstedsværket, the near-
by power station.
Nordicom expect to be able to build between 500 and
700 dwellings in the area.

Situation display of Havneholmen, showing the area formerly


owned by Port of Copenhagen, Ltd.

Further south, Skanska’s housing project accommodates


itself to the same schematics, albeit in a simpler manner.
The project was designed by Vilhelm Lauritsen Architects.
To the west, Skanska’s two new office buildings, de-
signed by Gert Wingårdh AB and Bystrup Architects, are General plan for the canal village in Sydhavnen. The plan was devel-
oped by Soeters Van Eldank Panec Architecten, an Amsterdam
placed along the canal between the Fisketorvet shopping architectural firm, and should be seen as a further development of
centre and Havneholmen. earlier Dutch projects – here in a Danish and Copenhagen-ish version.
In this further development, elements of water together with the
To the north, the Aller Group’s new domicile is located
length of the promenades have become even more powerful.
on the very conspicuous triangular site at the harbour en-

20
Teglholmen Christianshavn and Amsterdam as models for the ‘town
on the waterside’, and with the old inner suburbs as inspi-
In July 2005, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. and the Sjælsø ration for the houses that make up the blocks, canal vil-
Group entered into an agreement about development and lages are being constructed at Teglholmen, Sluseholmen
joint preparation of land for building of a large area at and Enghave Brygge.
Teglholmen. A development company, Teglholmen P/S, The elaboration of the sketches for Teglholmen Øst
was established to be in charge of the task. The Port & City was carried out in four workshops where the City of Copen-
Development Corporation will sell their property to the hagen, the Sjælsø Group, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. and
Company, as soon as a district plan for the area has been the architects participated.
approved. Sjælsø has bough a part of the other business Positive experiences in the form of good results obtained
properties in the area and included them in the Company’s from the work with a general plan for the entire Slusehol-
development areas. Together, the areas are expected to men area made the Port & City Development Corporation
make the construction of 1,300 dwellings and 20,000 sqm see the continuation and the development of these proce-
for business purposes feasible. dures as obvious.
In 2002, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. and MT Højgaard The building of a municipal school has been planned
cooperated in the construction of a non-residential building as part of the development plan for Teglholmen. In autumn
project at 12 Støberigade. 2006, The City of Copenhagen’s school authority arranged
The development of Teglholmen is stage 2 of the canal- an architectural competition in which 7 architectural firms
building project in Sydhavnen, a concept within urban participated. The competition ended on December 1, 2006
development, which has been developed in co-operation with JJW Architects as winners. The next stage is the devel-
with the Dutch architect Sjoerd Soeters. opment of the winning project towards a feasible plan.
Together with other development plans for the harbour, Today the area houses a mixture of different business-
this instance of urban development provides the back- es, the dominating enterprise being MAN B&W. In 2006,
ground for one part of City of Copenhagen’s master de- TV2 moved to Teglholmen, which engendered new activi-
velopment and town planning scheme for 2001. With ties in the old industrial area, and the future development

21
is already making its marks. The housing estates to the Sluseholmen
east, the apartment buildings and the dwellings on the
water are bordered by the green wedge stretching from the The preparation of land and its further development are
east to the west – eventually all the way down to the har- the responsibilities of Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. and the City
bour passage. The existing roads are the basis for the of Copenhagen. The first sites were sold to JM Danmark,
structure of the future road net. the Sjælsø Group and Nordicom. The canals and their
H.C. Ørstedsvæket, the power station, is not expected environment have been designed by the Dutch architect
to cause noise problems at Teglholmen, but the MAN B&W Sjoerd Soeters.
is. A consultant’s examination showed that at the nearest After its completion, the area at Sluseholmen will have
building sites low-frequency noise from MAN B&W ex- 1,200 dwellings. In 2006 the first “Sluseholmians” moved in.
ceeds the margins for nighttime noise fixed by The Envi-
ronmental Agency. Housing estate at Sluseholmen - in a canal environment after
The low-frequency noise derived either from MAN B&W’s inspiration from Holland. The first inhabitants moved in 2006.
factory chimney or from their test building. The noise
problem is expected to be solvable through noise suppres-
sors at the source or through façade cladding. In the pro-
posal for a local plan for the Teglholmen P/S Company,
the building sites bordering on MAN B&W have been
selected for non-residential purposes.

Arkitema, an architectural firm from Århus, has concretised


the canal village. Along the canals, the façades of the buildings
run straight down into the canal surfaces.

22
Rendering of the Metropolis, a residential building at Sluseholmen – a project “with a difference”, designed by the experimental English
architectural firm Future Systems. The building contributes to the diversity characteristic of Sluseholmen.

At the southern part of Sluseholmen three developing firm Arkitema have produced a master plan for Slusehol-
companies, Nordicom, MT Højgaard and Hauser Ejendomme, men. This Dutch-Danish partnership resulted in a set of
are at work on the construction of 1,300 dwellings – a architectural rules, or “dogmas”, for Sluseholmen.
continuation of the canal development on the northern side The dogmas of the masterplan constitute a unifying
of Sluseholmen. The building plan means a goodbye to principle for Sluseholmen, but provides at the same time
Louis Poulsen Lamps’s production facility. an area of great diversity, where each building has an
The purpose of Local Plan 310 Teglværkshavnen is individuality of its own. In order to create diversity in the
to make it possible to develop the former industry-cum- canal village, 25 different architectural firms were em-
harbour area into a high-quality urban neighbourhood close ployed in the design of the houses. One dogma stipulates
to the water, with housing, business, institutions, school that 5 architectural offices must be involved in each block.
and recreation. The local plan is a general plan, continuously The dwellings are arranged in 4 to 7 stories, and the design
enlarged through supplements to allow for various stages and the size of the houses are dependent on their orien-
in the building process. The area is located between the tation: towards the harbour, towards a canal or towards a
harbour passage, Sydhavnsgade and Teglværkshavnen. promenade. Houses facing the smaller canals have only
During the 1990s, when business construction boomed, 4 stories. Canals, quays and bridges intersect the area
a number of administrative domiciles were built for IT- and make Sluseholmen a part of Copenhagen with a dif-
companies and other high-technology firms such as Nokia ference and of great variety.
and Daimler/Benz, all of them designed as modern office One circumstance that contributes and will continue
blocks placed at a right angle to Sydhavnsgade at Frede- to contribute to the extraordinary environment is the Valby
rikskaj. Boat Club and the north quay, designated to moor 10 to
Sjoerd Soeters got the idea for the canal village at 12 houseboats. The variety and the differences in propor-
Sluseholmen through his experiences with the artificially tions speak about the history of the place and also of the
established residential islands “Java Island” and “Borneo high housing quality of the present.
Island”, both in Amsterdam. The Dutch inspiration is evident The northern part of Sluseholmen has been shaped
in the newly constructed canals that define the general like an elongated peninsula, where the local plan permits
character of the area. The new canal village was built on a tower construction of up to 40 m. The British architec-
eight islands. The islands are the result of canal digging – tural firm Future Systems has designed a residential
with an overall pattern of connected house blocks around building, Metropolis, for the peninsula. Between the tow-
protective courtyards. er and the house blocks the plan is to establish an open-
In cooperation with the City of Copenhagen and Port air swimming facility, a “harbour bath”, of the same curved
of Copenhagen, Ltd., Soeters and the Danish architectural design as the Metropolis.

23
Havneparken Havnestaden

In 1984 the inhabitants of Islands Brygge laid out a park At the end of the 1990s, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. sold
on the former harbour areas. In 1994 the Island Brygge their properties in this area to ØK (the East-Asiatic Com-
Neighbourhood Council developed a plan for the areas, pany). ØK had a general plan developed for the entire
which was incorporated in a local plan. Afterwards, in “Sojakage-area” (the property and location of Dansk Soja-
1995, Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. sold the areas to the City kagefabrik, a soaybean cake company) and later sold the
of Copenhagen. areas to NCC, the Sjælsø Group and JM Danmark.
Today, Havneparken is a very popular recreational area, Havnestaden is especially known for the silos that used
not least owing to the ‘Harbour Bath’, established in 2001, to be part of Dansk Sojakagefabrik: Pressesilo, converted
which the high quality of the water of the harbour had to flats on the basis of a project by PLH Arkitekter, a Dan-
made possible. ish architectural firm, Wennberg Silo, converted to flats on

The “Harbour Bath” at Islands Brygge. Today the water in Copenhagen Harbour is as clean as the water of the Øresund. This enabled the
creation of a ‘beach’ in the middle of Copenhagen.

24
Today, the Frøsilo, once a part of the former soybean cake factory, has been converted into flats. As proposed in the competition by the Dutch
architectural firm MVRDV, the flats were mounted on the outside walls of the silos.

the basis of a project by the Danish architect Tage Lyneborg, The local plan permits the construction of 1,500-1,700
and Frøsilo, which was converted into the Gemini Resi- dwellings and 30,000-50,000 sqm non-residential build-
dence. The architects behind the Genimi Residence are ings in the area. One of the first constructions will be
the Dutch architectural firm MVRDV, assisted by a local firm, “Vingerne” (The Wings), two houses designed by Bjarke
JJW Arkitekter from Copenhagen. Ingels Group. Altogether they will have 130 flats and are
The importance of the area is increased by the fact that expected to be ready for occupation by 2009. Another
this is where Islands Brygge is connected via the Bryggebro- project on its way is the three tower blocks named The
en to Vesterbro, one of the old inner suburbs of Copenhagen. three Sisters, which, combined, will contain about 200 flats.
The houses, which will have from 9 to 14 stories, were
Islands Brygge Syd designed by Boldsen and Holm Arkitekter.

In 2006 a local plan was adopted for Islands Brygge Syd.


Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. sold their properties to B-
House, a company formed by the Nordkranen Real-estate
Company and Carlyle Group, the investment company.
Together Port of Copenhagen, Ltd., B-House and NCC
arranged an architectural competition about the future of
the area. The competition was framed as a parallel as-
signment with three participating teams. The three teams
in the competition were made up by MVRDV/3xNielsen,
Exe/HPP and PLOT/West 8. The project chosen to be
further developed was prepared by the young Danish archi-
tectural firm PLOT and West 8. At a later point, Walls and
Rendering of the three tower blocks named ”The Three Sisters.”
Kay Wilhelmsen A/S, owners of some of the sites, joined The houses are of different sizes, but together they form a unit.
in the development of the area. Architects: Boldsen and Holm Arkitekter.

25
A new urban quarter stallations, to secure a sufficient flow in the creek. Towards
the west, a bridge across the creek will be established as
This part of Islands Brygge has the potential to become part of the harbour promenades.
an entirely new and exciting development in the harbour. The dominating house type in the area is the 3-storey
The area is bordered by Drechlersgade to the north, the row house. It comes in several varieties: in the urban variety
harbour to the west, and Amager Fælled, a protected of great compactness, but also at the edge of the harbour
former common, on the east side, and the transition zone along the promenade, close to the town centre.
to “Nokken” (allotments) to the south. This is a part of Co- For variety’s sake, and as a contrast to the repetitive
penhagen with a character of its own: rural towards the terrace structure, both house blocks and high-rises of
east, and urban on a scale from compact to spacious to- various designs are placed as “visual strikes” amongst the
wards the north and the south respectively, and harbour- row houses. The total effect is the creation of a dynamic
related towards the west.
One central idea in PLOT’s and West 8’s winning entry
consists in the re-creation and renewal of the Copenhagen
row house from the beginning of the 20th century, known
as “building society houses” – such as “Kartoffelrækkerne”
at Østerbro. Another central idea is the so-called “creek” –
a canal or small inlet that divides the large area into a
northern and a southern section. The northern part is ur-
ban in character. Here a tight pattern of urban terraced
houses is the dominating feature, only interrupted by the
occasional “visual strike” in the form of high-rises.
The creek itself is the most essential recreational ele-
ment in the project. The intention behind the layout of the
northern part is that the bank will be sunlit well into the
evening hours. A “harbour bath” will be established with
sandy stretches, shaped according to the possibilities of- Overall plan of Islands Brygge Syd. Basically, the quarter is divided
fered by the creek. into two areas. The northern part is characterized by narrow urban
spaces and forms the boundary of the compact neighbourhood of Is-
The transitions between water and land will be designed
lands Brygge. At the southern end, the buildings are scattered along
differently at the southern end. The row houses, quite the water and in the green area. The two parts are separated by a small
simply, stand in the water, thus creating very original house inlet stretching from the harbour to Amager Fælled, the old common.

types. Finally, the intention is, by means of technical in-

26
Study model of Islands Brygge Syd, situated in continuation of Havnestaden. In addition to the creek, a central element in the concept, the
architectural diversification of beach houses, row-houses and conspicuous high-rises is evident.

urban scene, where diversity and complexity are mixed chaotic pattern – the idea being that the neighbourhood
with repetition and homogeneity in the façades. should resemble its surroundings and appear “home-
There are many types of high-rises: terraced houses grown”, but at the same time thoroughly planned. We shall
along the quay, a horseshoe-shaped house at the inlet and, have a neighbourhood of an almost ”organic” quality, which
in and near the central urban square, solitary tower blocks of provides a meaningful counterpart to the northern half of
many expressive designs. Here and at the promenade the area. Besides, this is where we find the existing, and
along the harbour, the life of the quarter is expected es- long-established, home of rowing clubs and boat clubs. A
pecially to unfold. Space has been allocated in the raised down-to-earth arrangement, simple and straightforward of
ground-floor stories for activities with a social address architecture, which may serve passers-by or visitors as an
that may enrich life in the open area and along the prom- introduction to Nokken, further to the south.
enade, e.g. shops, galleries, restaurants, cafés, and work- Regarded as an urban quarter, Islands Brygge Syd will
shops for various creative groups. In the dock there may differ from the other waterside quarters. Focus is pre-emi-
also be room for houseboats that might be used not only nently on the scenic, but it is nevertheless located at the
as homes, but also for other purposes. doorstep of central Copenhagen. The amenities which may
To the south of the inlet we meet another kind of neigh- be experienced here today shall, through thoroughgoing
bourhood: more scenic, different in architecture. There are conversion, have their qualities intensified, and at the
curved terraces of row houses, dwellings in tower blocks same time give pleasure to more people – both inhabitants-
broken in form, or shaped like budding flowers and, above to-be and Copenhageners in general.
all, single-family properties parcelled out in a seemingly

27
South of Sjællandsbroen Østhavnen/Prøvestenen

The district south of Sjællandsbroen includes areas at A substantial part of the activities of Port of Copenhagen,
Bådehavnsgade, Fragtvej, Speditørvej, Fiskerhavnen and Ltd. took place at Prøvestenen. Prøvestenen is used for
Sejlklubvej, a large part of which are the property of The oil and stone, gravel and soil (liquid bulk and dry bulk cargo.)
Port & City Development Corporation. The leases in this Together, the Port & City Development Corporation and
area are mostly held by boat clubs and minor businesses. the City of Copenhagen are enlarging Prøvestenen by 50
The future of the area has not yet been decided. per cent, or 40 hectares. The extension takes place to-
The Port & City Development Corporation also owns wards the south and the east.
properties further south, at the so-called “Tippen”, a green The object of the enlargement of Prøvestenen is the
area of about 50,000 sqm. According to the municipal plans, establishment of new docking facilities and areas for bulk
a part of the area may be developed after 2017. Several handling (stone, gravel, etc.), but the aim is also to give
green organizations, however, want the entire expanse Copenhageners new recreational possibilities.
preserved as a green area.
.

Aerial photo of the Karens Minde-area, located south of Sjællandsbroen. Port of Copenhagen, Ltd. owns several of the areas, including many green areas.

28
Together, Prøvestenen and Nordhavnen constitute the commercial harbour. Prøvestenen is used for the handling
of oil and of stone, gravel and earth.

At present, 650 m piling has been established at a depth Prøvestenen will become the home of a new large marina,
of 13.5 m. Soil from building activities in Copenhagen is quite close to Amager Strandpark, which was opened to
deposited behind the piling. the public in the summer of 2005. The marina will eventually
have about 1,400 berths, that is approximately the same
size as Svanemøllehavnen, at the present moment Den-
The marina planned at the south end of Prøvestenen will
match Svanemøllehavnen in size and will thus be one of the
mark’s largest marina.
largest marinas in Denmark.

29
Ørestad Development Corporation

31
Ørestad – a central The founding of Ørestadsselskabet
city quarter in the Sound region
The Act on Ørestadsselskabet I/S was passed on June
Ørestad is a part of the Sound region, comprising Greater 1992, and Ørestadsselskabet I/S itself was founded in
Copenhagen and Scania, the southern part of Sweden. It March 1993 by the City of Copenhagen and the Danish
is one of the official border regions of the European Un- state as a joint venture. Behind the founding of the cor-
ion and has become the new regional centre of Northern poration there was a wish to strengthen the development
Europe. Copenhagen is the hub of the region, where of Copenhagen. This development was to be based on
Central and Northern Europe meet. Copenhagen’s position at the centre of the Sound region
Among other reasons the Sound region has become a and on the many characteristic qualities of the capital: An
regional centre due to its access to the Scandinavian and attractive environment, a rich and varied urban life, a vibrant
Baltic markets, the highly developed infrastructure and culture and shopping life, a harmonious, but many-faceted
the high concentration of knowledge and know-how. The architecture, and internationally orientated business life.
attractive conditions in the region have made it the largest The City of Copenhagen and the Danish state trans-
urban area in Scandinavia with about 3.6 million inhabit- ferred the ownership of the 310-hectare Ørestad area to
ants and a high concentration of jobs and professions. the Ørestad Development Corporation. Hereafter, the task
Around 3,400 foreign-owned firms have settled in the of the corporation was to develop and sell sites in the new
region. Furthermore, about 137,000 students have chosen quarter, Ørestad, and to build the Metro and invite tenders
to study at one of the present 14 university level institutions for operating it. The development of Ørestad and the sales
in the area, having around 10,000 teachers and lecturers. of the sites will finance a part of the investment in the
Metro, which can therefore be built without straining the
budgets of neither State nor City.
There would be no Ørestad without Metro, and vice versa.
Those two are inextricably linked. This goes both finan-
cially, geographically and, not least, when it comes to quality.
The value connected with the Metro is the cornerstone of
selling sites in Ørestad. The Metro also plays a significant
role when it comes to the quality of the buildings in Øres-
tad. An efficient infrastructure makes it possible to get
leading Danish and international architects to design future
buildings in Ørestad. In a wider perspective, an efficient
infrastructure may guarantee a vibrant city. The profits from
Map of the Sound region, one of the official border regions of the the sales of these sites partly finance the Metro.
European Union, of which Ørestad is a part. Copenhagen is the hub
of the regional centre, where Central and Northern Europe meet.
The masterplan of Ørestad
Among other reasons the Sound region has become a regional centre
due to its access to the Scandinavian and Baltic markets, the highly
developed infrastructure and the high concentration of knowledge In accordance with the Ørestad Act, an open architectural
and know-how.
competition was offered on a masterplan for Ørestad. The
masterplan was thought to suggest the overall frames
The thoughts of making the Ørestad area Copenhagen’s for Ørestad. In 1995 a public debate was carried out about
new urban development area started at the beginning of four awarded projects, and it was decided that a entry
the 1990s. Among other reasons, these thoughts were made by a team of Finnish architects would form the basis
inspired by the Act on the Sound bridge being passed in of the planning. Together with the Danish architect firm
1990 and the taking form of the Sound region as a Danish- KHRAS, the Finnish architect formed the drawing office
Swedish growth region. ARKKI, which helped Ørestadsselskabet I/S working out
Ørestad is situated between Copenhagen Airport and a masterplan for Ørestad. This work was completed in the
the old city centre. This makes Copenhagen’s new quarter spring of 1995.
a pivot in the Sound region. Furthermore, there is place and The masterplan aimed at Ørestad as a green neighbour-
space here for buildings that would otherwise, because of hood with water and nature. A high architectural quality
size or architecture, not fit into the existing quarters of Co- would make it attractive for both Danish and foreign firms
penhagen. to settle in Ørestad.

32
Furthermore, attractive dwellings and cultural buildings stream in the Danish landscape, Den Landskabelige
are thought to attract new residents to the area. The master- Kanal runs from KUA in Njalsgade past DR Byen and into
plan also defined the essential features of Ørestad, in- Grønjordssøen (the Landscape Canal).
cluding the layouts of the Metro and the most important The University Canal, the canal with the urban features,
boulevards and the relationship between buildings and has quite another shape. Going north-south in a geomet-
the surrounding green areas. rically stricter and straighter line, the canal runs from
A system of connected canals links Ørestad’s four dif- Njalsgade to the Metro station at DR Byen. This canal is
ferent quarters, thus giving all of them a touch of shared integrated in the most significantly urban milieu in Ørestad
landscape. The layout of the canal system underlines the Nord and forms the basis – both when it comes to light
specific and individual atmosphere of each quarter. For and function – of a varied, complex and many-faceted
instance, in Ørestad Nord there are two quite different urban life. Building these two canals has become possible
canals – one with scenic features and one with urban fea- because of a strong wish to give priority to quality and
tures. In a very curvy course meant to illustrate the typical aesthetics.

Den Landskabelige Kanal (the Landscape Canal) runs from KUA in Njalsgade past DR Byen and into Grønjordssøen.

33
The building rights on the first sites in Ørestad were sold
in 1997, among others to University of Copenhagen and
Projektselskabet (Field’s). After that, a whole series of
sales agreements were made, with DR (: Danish Broad-
casting Corporation), Ferring, Telia, HS, KLP, and others.
Sales went fast, and by the end of 2002 the Ørestad De-
velopment Corporation had sold 20 per cent of the planned
building area. In 2007, about 53 per cent of the planned
building area in Ørestad has been sold.
The first non-residential buildings were used as early
as 1999. The most conspicuous office building, Ferring,
was used for the first time in January 2002. In 2002 a
series of the important infrastructural building activities
was finished: Ørestad Boulevard opened, the bridges over
the Sound motorway were finished, so was the first part
of the university canal, and work on the main canal started.
Furthermore, all the areas in front of the Metro stations in
Ørestad were finished before the Metro opened in Octo-
ber 2002.
In the spring 2003 the building of the first housing es-
tate, the Karen Blixen Park, started.

Art in Ørestad

Some of Denmark’s leading artists contribute to the dec-


oration of Ørestad. Normally sculptures are placed in an
already existing town or city. In Ørestad it is done the other
way around. Cultural works have been created and placed
as the city has grown to life. Three conspicuous works of
art have been planned in Ørestad. Two of these are already
here. The first one was Per Kirkby’s mural sculpture situ-
The Metro and the tower of the head office of the pharmaceutical firm
ated between Amager Fælled and Ørestad Nord. The
Ferring were two of the first projects in Ørestad. With its 19 floors sculpture can be seen as a welcome or as a goodbye –
the Ferring Tower has become a landmark of Ørestad City and Ørestad depending on the viewer’s point of view.
in general, just as the elevated railway of the Metro is characteristic
of the image of Ørestad.

The first projects

In June 1996, the City of Copenhagen adopted the addi-


tional plans for Ørestad. Having done this, everything was
clear to start the first building activities in Ørestad.
It is The Port & City Development Corporation I/S that
is responsible for the necessary infrastructure in the gen-
eral plan and the additional plan put forward by the City.
Among other things, Ørestad Development Corporation is
responsible for the overall road system including squares,
the main path system, areas in connexion with the Metro, Per Kirkeby´s mural sculpture can be seen as a welcome or as
canals and water areas, and the common green areas in a goodbye – depending on the viewer’s point of view.
Ørestad.

34
In Amager Fælled Kvarteret a work of art by Bjørn Nørgaard The great connecting factor is the overall building structure
will be placed at Vejlands Allé. It consists of a pavilion that operates with rural-urban transitions and with transi-
named Kærlighedsøen (island of love), which will be tions from one characteristic urban structure to another.
erected on an island in the future lake area. It will be used It is all connected by the Metro and a north-south system
for excursions and shared recreation. of paths and roads. Seen from the air it resembles a giant
The third work of art is placed in Ørestad Syd, namely tie on the island of Amager.
Hein Heinsen´s sculpture ”Den store Udveksler” (the Today local plans and additional plans have been made
great exchanger). The transition from the packed city that for Ørestad Nord, Ørestad City, Ørestad Syd and Amager
will be built here to the wide open landscape will be dra- Fælled Øst. The local plan for Amager Fælled Vest will be
matic and characteristic of the new urban area. The 7.5 passed later.
metre tall bronze sculpture is thought to mark the transi- The Act on Ørestad Development Corporation implies
tion from city to countryside. that Ørestad will expand over 30 to 40 years. In the first

Urban life in Ørestad at VM Husene.

phases, planning has concentrated on developing Ørestad


Nord and Ørestad City. Ørestad Syd will presumably be
finished within the next 10 years, while the building of the
western part of the Amager Fælled quarter according to
the local plan may be commenced in 2017. Ørestad De-
velopment Corporation has asked the City of Copenhagen
to push forward the planning of the Amager Fælled quarter,
so that building may start within the next 4 or 5 years.
Ørestad North is the most built-up urban quarter in
Ørestad. There are residential areas and a hall of resi-
dence and big Copenhagen institutions such as DR Byen,
the IT University and the Amager branch of University of
Copenhagen. Housing these institutions, the Ørestad
Nord quarter has become a vibrant, international educa-
tional and development centre for culture, media and
communication technology.
Hein Heinsen´s sculpture ”Den store udveksler” in Ørestad Syd In the Amager Fælled quarter only the eastern part
marks the transition from city to countryside, a transition character- has been developed so far. In the eastern part we find
istic of the layout of Ørestad Syd.
Amager Hospital, the residential area Solstriben, Ørestad
Friskole and the day care centre Småland.
According to the local plan, the Amager Fælled quarter
The four quarters of Ørestad will be the last developed part of Ørestad.
Ørestad City is already today a vibrant and pulsating
Ørestad is divided into four quarters, each one having its urban area thanks to the many people who have moved
own characteristic features, namely Ørestad Nord, Amager into the many new flats and offices. The central places
Fælled, Ørestad City and Ørestad Syd. here are Kay Fiskers Plads by the Ørestad Metro and the

35
regional train station connecting Copenhagen and Malmö. upper secondary school, Ørestad Gymnasium. The school
The pulsating shopping centre Field´s also creates life, and will be built in 2008 and 2009 and will open not later
the golf course, Copenhagen Golf Park, offers recreation than 2009. There will be many day care institutions in
and leisure for new residents and people working in Øre- Ørestad. The coming schools and institutions will have im-
stad. pact on urban life in Ørestad. Together with other urban
Ørestad Syd will be a dense and varied urban community functions such as workshops, so-called culture houses
with offices, flats, shops, schools and other institutions. and cafés the new school and day care institutions con-
In the long run Ørestad Syd will be the most populated quar- tribute to a quarter full of life, diversity and quality.
ter in Ørestad. About 10,000 persons will move in, and
further 15,000 will have jobs here. The area borders on the
preservation area of Kalvebod Fælled. Already now many Ørestad Nord
of the sites in the quarter have been sold, and the first
buildings will rise in 2007 and 2008. Ørestad Nord is the Ørestad quarter that is closest to the
centre of Copenhagen, thereby forming the border zone
Residents in Ørestad between ”old Copenhagen” and ”new Copenhagen”. Ørestad
directly borders on densely populated urban districts, to
In the summer of 2006 TNS Gallup carried out a survey the west Islands Brygge, to the east Amagerbro and to the
for Ørestad Development Corporation among the persons north a future development area – until now, the local plan
who have chosen to buy or rent flats in Ørestad. The sur- for that area only stipulates the building of a large Islamic
vey was carried out exclusively among private individuals. mosque.
The aim of the survey was to shed light on the profiles of Today Ørestad Nord has become Copenhagen´s new
residents in Ørestad and on their motives behind choos- centre for art and culture, media and communication tech-
ing flats in Ørestad. Among other things, the survey nology. The neighbourhood attains its particular importance
showed that many young people have chosen to settle in because of a whole range of central institutions charac-
Ørestad. Thus, every third resident is under 30 years of teristic of Copenhagen: the Amager branch of University
age, and 28 per cent are between 30 and 39. Further- of Copenhagen (the Faculty of Humanities), the IT Univer-
more, the survey showed that many residents have chosen sity and DR Byen (Danish Broadcasting Corporation,
to live in Ørestad because of the short distance to Co- DBC-City) with its many functions and the unique concert
penhagen City, but also that other factors about Ørestad hall, all extrovert institutions creating a diverse urban life
are attractive, for instance the efficient public transporta- in the northern part of Ørestad.
tion and the short distance to the beach and nature in In the early sketches for Ørestad Nord it was suggested
general. Being able to partly design their own flats also that the area would be a social experimental laboratory
greatly influences those who settle in the many flexible for new ways of living together and for new public spaces
residential buildings in Ørestad. Among the many aspects in modern networking society. Crossing trades and lines
of Ørestad, architecture was mentioned as the most posi- of professions and business, Ørestad Nord will breed ide-
tive one, whereas the surveyees saw parking conditions as and contacts that will result in new ways of living and
as the most negative one. being together, projects and products.
That Ørestad is also highly attractive to young people In Ørestad Nord, University of Copenhagen (KUA), the
and that the area will also be the home for many young IT University and the Danish Broadcasting Corporation
people and children in the future appears in the statistics. cooperate in creating a quarter full of life, diversity and
According to the national register, in April 2007 there sense of community. Through the association Ørestad Nord
were more children aged 0-6 in Ørestad than in any other Gruppen it is the intention of these institutions to encour-
part of Copenhagen. The same source also showed that age both social urban environment and the professional
there are far more 18-24-year-olds and 25-34-year-olds, network between the institutions themselves.
but fewer +35-year-olds than in other parts of Copenhagen. An initiative worked on by this association has been
calling for tenders of the canteens of these institutions,
Schools and day care centres so that conventional canteens are substituted by restau-
rants and cafés placed in the lower floors of the buildings.
With so many young people and children there are plans Hence, employees and students can go visit each other in
to build municipal schools in Ørestad. An area in Ørestad the lunch breaks and exchange experiences, create con-
City has been set aside for this purpose, close to the new tacts and get new ideas and new inspiration. The open

36
environment will also make local residents and neighbours Bikuben Kollegiet
use the quarter more actively. The association works on
using rooms, buildings and outdoor areas for other purpos- At the corner of Njalsgade and Amager Fælledvej Kolle-
es than the usual, day-time ones. For example, the univer- giefonden Bikuben has built a spectacular, seven-storied
sity premises may be used for lectures and plays and the hall of residence designed by A.A.R.T. architects. The build-
new multimedia house in DR Byen may be used to show ing houses 96 one-roomed and 4 two-roomed flats, 3
films and for concerts. adapted flats and 4 two-floored family flats. The complex
Among the many projects and initiatives are recurrent has exercise facilities, a studio, a laundry room, a reading
events such as the Humanities Festival of the University room, a lounge with a roof terrace, an assembly hall and
of Copenhagen and the P3 Public Service Festival of the common kitchens and rooms for general use.
Danish Broadcasting Corporation, which took place for
the first time in Ørestad Nord in August 2005. Such events
make Ørestad Nord more of an asset to the entire Copen-
hagen region.
In the planning process for building on the site, which
was previously supposed to house a new national record
office, choosing functions that may strengthen urban diver-
sity in Ørestad Nord has a high priority. A local plan for
the area is expected by the middle of 2009.
The overall structure plan for Ørestad Nord was settled
in connexion with an architectural competition held in 1997.
The architect firm KHRAS won the competition with a
principal idea characterized by north-south running wing
buildings. Karen Blixen Parken
In the further development this principle has been some-
what put aside. The architectural competitions for Tietgen- Along Universitetskanalen (the University Canal) with a view
kollegiet and DR Byen broke with more traditional struc- over Den Landskabelige Kanal (the Landscape Canal) and
tures and gave Ørestad quite different and modern urban Grønningen (the green area) is the residential area Karen
designs. Blixen Parken, designed by Vilhelm Lauritzen’s drawing
Already today there is a quite vibrant life in Ørestad, not office. The complex is special, because some flats can be
least during the daytime when there are many people in owned, some rented and some function according to the
streets, squares and other areas of the city. Apparently the combined ”andels” principle, somewhat like condos. The
planned interaction between buildings and functions, be- flats are surrounded by light, air and green oases with play-
tween university rooms and city dwellings, between DR Byen grounds.
and the Metro – and between many more things – works.
Karen Blixen Parken is a traditional residential area with high-quality flats. The balconies turn towards the green wedge of the area – in general Karen
Blixen Parken occupies a unique position close to the university and DR Byen.

37
are new stairways and outdoor facilities in unconventional
shapes and with green areas. The Serpent must be seen
as one of the many experiments and innovative approach-
es in the development of new housing blocks which
abound all over Ørestad and which will keep appearing in
the years to come. The architect behind Fælledhaven is
Domus Arkitekter A/S. The architect behind Universitet-
shaven is Arkitema.

Københavns Universitet Amager (KUA)


Boligslangen is a quite new experiment in Danish building, in which
blocks of flats are constructed so that some parts are open and char- Establishing the bridge between central Copenhagen and
acterized by green gardens and parks in a vertical structure. Adding
the snake-like shape of the complex, an organic and original architec-
Ørestad started with the expansion of University of Co-
tural unity is achieved. penhagen, Amager (KUA). With the new, light buildings by
Universitetskanalen, drawn by KHR Arkitekter, KUA was
Boligslangen expanded by 40,000 sqm in 2002.
The expansion gave room for further 5,000 students.
Boligslangen (the Housing Serpent) is the biggest housing Architects were particularly inspired by the old English uni-
project in Ørestad so far. The whole complex will consist versity buildings. The original buildings are still used for
of more than 300 flats and a day care centre. At several educational purposes, but in a coming project the original
points the Serpent intertwines with Den Landskabelige buildings will be demolished and substituted by new ones.
Kanal, which runs from KUA in Njalsgade past DR Byen
and into Grønjordssøen. In the Serpent there are two dif- Tietgenkollegiet
ferent buildings under the same roof, Fælledhaven and
Universitetshaven. Fælledhaven is comprised of conven- The Nordea Danmark Fonden and the Fonden Tietgen-
tional flats, Universitetshaven of owner-occupied and ”an- kollegiet are behind building Tietgenkollegiet, which was
dels” flats. The buildings stand as two blocks, where the inaugurated in May 2007. The hall of residence houses
roof is hovering over the opening between the two hous- about 400 residents. It is formed as a rotunda with seven
es and yet connecting them, which gives the complex a floors. The building is intersected by five vertical lines
flexible and curvy touch. The buildings are connected by a which both visually and functionally divide the building
gate crossing the canal. Particularly in Fælledhaven, there into sections. At the same time these lines function as

Tietgenkollegiet got a shape nobody had expected. The north-south running structure of the local plan was substituted by a rotunda, inspired by
a Medieval building concept from southern China, with references to the town ideals of the Renaissance.

38
The KUA plan implies space between the buildings, and the students fill these spaces every day, giving impression of urban life.

passages, from the outside giving access to the central yard


and the floors of the complex. In the ground floor there
are shared facilities such as a café, an assembly hall,
study and computer rooms, workshops, a laundry room,
music and meeting rooms and bicycle parking. The flats
are placed on all the other floors, 12 flats in each segment
of the building. All rooms have a view over the surround-
ing landscape. Communal kitchens and rooms, terraces
and sculleries all face the central yard, thereby underlining
the atmosphere of community in the building. Lundgaard
& Tranberg A/S are the architects behind this new hall of
residence.

The IT University

In 2004 the IT University moved to Ørestad Nord. The


new buildings of the IT University were designed by Hen-
ning Larsens Tegnestue. Characteristic features of build-
ing include is the 25-metre tall atrium with incoming light
and meeting rooms with TV screens and walls in glass.
The IT University has room for 3,000 students and con-
tains class and lecture rooms, offices for researchers and
scientists, a multimedia lab, a students´ café and a canteen.
Furthermore, the building is home to the organization
Crossroads Copenhagen and to the IT Growth House. In its architectural appearance, the IT University is a computer, a piece
of mega design mirroring its own technology. Form and content strive
for the same, but the room and the life and behaviour of its users
makes it a vibrant urban house in Ørestad.

39
DR Byen Segment 2 contains the News and the Sports sections.
The centre and heart of the building is a large and open
In 2006, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DBC) room, characterized by a soft and organic form and by a
concentrated all its activities in the capital, except the degree of transparency, as the light comes in on all work
concert halls, at the same address in Ørestad Nord at DR stations in the house.
Byen. From the very beginning this was a project of high Segment 3 is the smallest of the four segments and
ambitions. It was planned to be one of the largest media the base of the administration of the corporation and of
buildings in the world, and the physical framework in itself Københavns Radio. The main theme is a very open house
suggested sky-high ambitions both as to architecture, func- of cards, which using a concept of transparency is kept
tions and technological advance. At the same time, recent together by large hothouses suitable for breaks and rest.
international results in the fields of sustainability and envi-
ronment should be considered. The concert hall

The fourth segment in DR Byen is the new concert hall


with 1,800 seats. Seen from the outside, the building, de-
signed by the world famous French architect Jean Nouvel,
seems simple: a monumental cobalt blue dome rises 45
metres. But the inside is full of complex, organic structures
whose asymmetry gives excellent acoustics.
With its colossal volume the concert hall itself rises into
the space of the building, creating room for a spacious
and quite unique system of foyers. This is a most advanced
construction which required thorough engineering think-
ing – making such a large room for 1,600 guests hover
Initially a great architectural competition was held for DR four or five floors high is a big challenge. The supporting
Byen as a whole, with both Danish and international rec- pillars are placed so that the foyer and the entrance area
ognized architects. The Danish architect firm Wilhelm are given lightness and at the same time full daylight.
Lauritzen Arkitekter won the competition with a project Thus, transition between outdoors and indoors, or the very
focusing on closeness and functional connexions. Partic- arrival at the concert hall, becomes an impressive experi-
ularly the competition for the concert hall segment, won ence for the audience.
by French star architect Jean Nouvel, attracted interna-
tional attention. The forming of the News section was
also decided through an architectural competition, as was
the final segment 3, housing offices, administration etc.
The first building in the new DR By was inaugurated
in 2005. During that year, an increasing number of DR
staff moved into the new surroundings in Ørestad Nord.
DR Byen is comprised of four segments built in phases
and designed by various architect firm. These firms are
Wilhelm Lauritzen A/S, DISSING+WEITLING, Ateliers
Jean Nouvel, Gottlieb & Paludan and NOBEL arkitekter a/s.
The overall plan is inspired by the central part of the
cities of the Arab world, the kasbah. Here the extroverted
functions in the four segments are squeezed together, an
architectural idea to secure connexions and space to live
and be creative in. The central element is the inner street
linking the four segments.
Segment 1 is the largest one in DR Byen, housing re-
ception, studios, editorial offices, depots, etc. The building Rendering of the interior architecture of the concert hall in DR Byen.
Entering the concert hall is like entering a jewel box. With upholstered
has large glass fronts giving passersby a free view into chairs and walls in exquisite hardwood the elastic, asymmetric room
the offices and studios. gets its final quality as a unique auditorium with equally unique acoustics.

40
The interior architecture of the hall is like a jewel box. Up- Amager Fælled. The architects behind the hospital are AA
holstered chairs and walls in exquisite hardwood give the Arkitekter A/S.
elastic, asymmetric room its final quality as a unique audi- North of Amager Hospital, the construction and prop-
torium with particularly sophisticated acoustics. erty development company NCC, in cooperation with the
In the evening the blue exterior screen of the hall may architect firm Boldsen and Holm, designed the residential
be used for projecting and enlarging pictures, works of art area Solstriben (: the Sunny Patch), parallel with the low
or texts, creating a living wall facing the city. But the screen parts of the Metro. Solstriben is formed in a simple and
may also be made invisible, both day and night. Setting clear plan, with 2-5-floored, unpretentious houses.
lights correctly makes it possible to make the concert hall As to the future of the area, it should be pointed out
appear like a hovering body of a building. that the western part of the Amager Fælled Quarter is
Much seems to indicate that the concert hall due to its planned to be finished as the last one in Ørestad. Accord-
combination of unique architecture, excellent acoustics ing to the sequence of development in the plan made by
and a fantastic symphony orchestra will elevate both DR the City of Copenhagen, it is expected to be built in some
Byen, Ørestad and Copenhagen to the world elite. years. If changes in the sequences of this plan are made,
building this quarter will happen earlier.
The quarter occupies a very sensitive landscape, which
The Amager Fælled Quarter constitutes a great challenge for the city planners and archi-
tects who are to design the main features of this area.
The Amager Fælled Quarter stretches from Vejlands Allé
in the south to Grønjordsvej in the north. The whole north-
ern part is comprised of the green areas around Grøn-
jordssøen - in May 2007 a viewing bridge was inaugurat-
ed here. In 2001 Amager Hospital, also situated in the Solstriben is made up by predominantly close-low buildings placed
Amager Fælled Quarter, was inaugurated. The hospital is along the eastern Metro bank. The complex is characterized by gar-
dens and forms a gentle transition between the open landscape, the
close to Sundby Metrostation and the natural reserve of Metro, Ørestad and the traditional one-family houses in the older
residential areas on Amager.

41
Ørestad City

Ørestad City is the quarter in the cross field. It is defined


by the area where the north-south running Metro and
road connexion crosses the east-west link to Sweden and
Jutland. Hence, Ørestad is the most central area in the
Sound region.
Ørestad City will be a dense quarter, but already today
this district boasts a vibrant and diverse urban life based
on the special and mixed functions found here, e.g. shop-
ping centre, upper secondary school, flats and the Metro
and regional train station.
The central urban space is Kay Fiskers Plads. Character-
istic is the basin with the pyramid-shaped concrete light
devices. The water from the basin runs through the water
lily cascades to the big canal. Every year Kay Fiskers
Plads is the starting point or centre of events such as
Dansefestivalen (dance festival) and Ørestadsløbet.

The majestic Ferring building has become a landmark of Ørestad.


The tower in Ørestad City will not be the last one: in the future eight
more towers will be built in Ørestad.

tration. The administration sit in the twenty-storey trans-


parent tower, built in glass and a black painted facing.
Dance festival in Ørestad City at Kay Fiskers Plads in front of Field´s.
With its new headquarters Ferring consolidated its
The dance festival is an annually recurrent event attracting many activities in Malmö, Copenhagen and Kiel. The Ferring
people, both participants and spectators. tower will not be the last one in Ørestad. Within some
years eight more towers will be built in Ørestad City and
Ørestad Syd.
Ferring International Center
Field´s
On the highest point in Ørestad stands a majestic land-
mark, the tower of the Ferring headquarters. In Ferring Inter- The shopping centre Field’s is the largest shopping and
national Center key functions such as product development, leisure centre in Scandinavia. Besides a wide choice of
registration of pharmaceuticals and international market- shops, the centre also boasts many different restaurants
ing are carried out. and leisure activities, e.g. a children´s fun centre, a 12
The building was designed by Henning Larsens Tegne- hole indoor golf course, hairdressers and a fitness centre.
stue and consists of two parts formed according to their In the future there will also be offices, a hotel and a cine-
functions. Ferring´s laboratory is placed in a three-storey ma. Field’s employs both Danish and Swedish staff, a pol-
building closing in on two ”green” courtyards. Turning east- icy that strengthens Danish-Swedish integration and the
wards, away from the crowds at Kay Fiskers Plads and position of Ørestad City as centre and hub of Ørestad.
the Metro station, there is room her for quiet and concen-

42
VM Husene is an experiment with new housing forms and different transitions between the houses and their arrival area. The buildings are tall,
but because of the dominant glass fronts a very expressive flat concept is created.

VM Husene VM Bjerget

VM Husene (the VM Buildings) are some quite conspicu- VM Bjerget (the VM Mountain) is close to VM Husene
ous flat buildings in Ørestad City. The complex consists of and interplaying geometrically, thus preserving the views
two buildings forming, seen from above, a V and an M re- over the park in Ørestad City and the older residential ar-
spectively. The flats have pointed balconies facing south eas on Amager. From the tenth floor in the northwestern
and rooms with up to 5 metre high ceilings. In order not corner of VM Bjerget to the ground floor in the south-
to limit the incoming light the architects behind the project, eastern corner 80 flats with roof terraces and lush ter-
PLOT, have not used partitions on the balconies. race gardens will spread on the foundation, which con-
Outdoors light and space have also had high priority. sists of a gigantic parking house holding about 480 cars.
VM Husene have been built on five metre tall pillars, so As it happens, the flats have been built on an artificial
there is light and openness in the northern atrium court- slope. The parking house is built into the bank with unusual,
yard, whereas a sunny front garden presents itself at the high-ceilinged and cathedral-like rooms. Bjarke Ingels
large green of the complex. from BIG is the architect. The clients as to the flats are
The 212 condos and owner-occupied flats share facil- Dansk Olie Kompagni A/S and Høpfner A/S, while Øre-
ities such as bicycle parking, assembly halls and an inte- stadsparkering A/S has ordered the parking house. The
grated day care centre, which are all parts of the complex. complex will be finished in 2009.

43
KLP Ørestad Down Town

Dissing+Weitling designed the eight storey office building The world-famous Polish-American architect Daniel
of KLP Ejendomme A/S, where the design of the front Libeskind has created a master plan for a large area in
interplays with both canal and Arne Jacobsens Allé. Various Ørestad City.
flat sizes are for rent. KLP Ejendomme is about to expand The plan is based on open, attractive public spaces as
with two more office buildings in Ørestad City, one, drawn the primary elements. These urban spaces will run in se-
by Gottlieb & Paludan, close to Ferring, the other one also quences which, together with the adjoining buildings, may
in Arne Jacobsens Allé next to KLP’s first building. remind of the old centre of Copenhagen or similar places
in New York, Berlin and Barcelona. There is no doubt that
the area will be an important hub in Ørestad in the future.
Presently Hotel CABINN Metro is being built. It will
be Denmark’s biggest hotel with a capacity of more than
700 beds. CABINN Metro was also drawn by Studio
Daniel Libeskind and will be an attraction in itself. Driving
down Center Boulevard in 2009, one will experience
Libeskind’s red gables and blue and grey fronts with alu-
minium profiles challenging conventional expectations
of well-ordered, horizontal lines and distinct floor divi-
sions.
Situated most visibly in the district, the hotel will be a
typical example of Libeskind’s characteristic play with
form and lines.
As a piece of solid and beautiful architecture the KLP building guar- Besides the master plan for Ørestad Down Town and
antees the shape and space of the city and sets an example for modern the designing of the new CABINN Hotel, Studio Daniel
urban builders.
Libeskind is also in the first phases of a project on the
towers in the plan.
In Ørestad Down Town, American star architect Daniel Libeskind, who focuses on simple, direct and naïve forms and expressive architecture,
dominates – here suggested by landmarking tower blocks that would visualize the uniqueness of Ørestad.

44
Around Ørestad City Park particularly in the summer. On the ground floor there is a
municipal day care centre, and there are communal rooms
Byparken is the green heart of Ørestad and is situated on for the residents.
a 170 x 450 metre area – the same size as Ørstedsparken
in central Copenhagen.
Ørestad City Bypark is supposed to be a mini-version
of Central Park in New York City. Surrounded by buildings
it will appear as a piece of nature in the middle of a city of
rising, spectacular blocks. The buildings contain between
120 and 170 flats on 8-12 floors. The houseowners´ as-
sociation cooperates with the residents about designing
the park. Already now the park is used by residents and
neighbours, who play ball and exercise their dogs etc.,
and in the future there will be grilling areas and play-
grounds. The trees of the park have been planted and in
due course they will offer shelter and shade.
To secure high quality and coordination, the Ørestad
Development Corporation asked a number of leading
architect firms to design a building project each while
suggesting some common guiding lines for the entire park
project. Therefore, the buildings had been drawn before
the sites were sold, whereupon it was the task of the
Ørestad Development Corporation to sell the fully designed
building sites.
By choosing this untraditional way of developing the
district the Corporation has avoided a park full of mis-
matching buildings – instead a harmonious and coherent
element in the city has been secured. There are eight
sites with connected building projects.
Pension Danmark has ordered the flats, Horisonten,
that consist of 180 flats to be owned or rented.
The flats have views over Amager Fælled and Ørestad
City Park. The sizes vary between 70 and 147 sqm. In 2005, Ørestad City Bypark, City Husene in the background.
Pension Danmark bought another 7,600 sqm for building
even more flats near the park.
Aktivgruppen and Lejerbo built Parkhusene in two Arkitektgruppen developed City Husene. City Husene, all
phases. First phase consists of 63 flats for rent on 11 owners’ flats, contain two to four rooms and have large
floors. Second phase consists of 57 condos on 8 floors. panes of glass securing ample natural light. The flats
In some parts of the buildings the top floor has been con- have views in at least two directions and their sizes vary
verted into a 150 sqm roof garden. On the ground floor between 83 and 113 sqm. The architect is Vandkunsten.
there will be a café, a supermarket and other facilities. Nordbornholms Byggeforening and Cargill build Copen-
The architect behind the project is Arkitema. hagen Golf Park, which will hold both dwellings and offices
The building society KAB builds Sejlhuset. Sejlhuset and other non-residential activities. The non-residential
was designed by the architects in Vandkunsten, who have activities will be placed in Arne Jacobsens Allé. The build-
created a partly open block being between 8 and 12 sto- ings will consist of 148 flats whose residents will enjoy the
ries tall. On the eighth floor a communal roof terrace has views over Amager Fælled and the coming golf course.
been constructed. The building contains 118 flats with Domus Arkitekter A/S designed Copenhagen Golf Park.
between two and four rooms. Each flat will have two bal- Kuben Byg A/S has ordered Det Flexible Hus, having
conies with moveable ”sails” screening against the sun 124 flats to be owned. Det Flexible Hus was designed by
and the wind. These ”sails” have inspired to the name of Arkitema. Arkitema has created a housing block in which
the building and will affect the interior climate positively, the exterior architecture reflects the variation of the interior.

45
White surfaces interplay with large panes of glass – and have their own rooms but share a combined kitchen and
steel and wood form the contrasts. Det Flexible Hus is living room and two toilettes with showers. This unit of
built in 8 floors changing with 11 and 12 storey towers. 110 sqm may easily be converted into a conventional one-
Sjælsø Gruppen A/S builds Ørestadshuset, contain- family flat. Nobel Arkitekter designed Signalhuset
ing 127 owner-occupied flats, varying between 78 and 105
sqm and two to four rooms. The architects, Lundgaard Ørestad Gymnasium
and Tranberg A/S, were inspired by the houses in New
York City, where many people live close together in vibrant Ørestad City is not only offices, shops and dwellings, but
urban surroundings. The buildings have open bay win- also a district full of many young students from Ørestad
dows in connexion with the balconies, placed for optimal Gymnasium, the first new Gymnasium in Copenhagen in
sunlight. The floor of one balcony functions as the roof of 35 years. It was inaugurated in May 2007. The architects
the balcony below, yielding shelter on parts of the balcony. 3xNielsen have created the first Gymnasium in Denmark
living up to the new visions of content, subjects, organi-
Signalhuset zation and learning systems which are essential in the re-
form of the Danish Gymnasium that came into operation
Ørestad City also offers dwellings for young people. At the in 2005. Flexibility and openness are the key words in
corner of Arne Jacobsens Allé and Edvard Thomsens Vej, the new Gymnasium building that does not have neither
Lejerbo builds flats for young people following a quite new traditional classrooms and communal rooms nor the
concept. Signalhuset contains about 290 flats on nine traditional division between students and teachers. The
floors for young people. Signalhuset is constructed on the Gymnasium has been divided into four zones on each
basis of a new and exciting concept, where four residents floor, connected by a wide, spiral staircase, which forms
the main axis of the building. The Gymnasium consists of
open rooms, working zones, nooks for creativity and
thinking and areas for social activities.
Ørestad Gymnasium is a public, free and open school
with a high profile as to media, communication and culture.
Anyone living in the Sound region can apply for admis-
sion, i.e. both young Danes and Swedes, thereby making
Ørestad Gymnasium an important regional factor in the
Danish-Swedish integration. Interest has been significant.
It is the most applied-for Gymnasium in Denmark, and
with its 800 students Ørestad Gymnasium will also play
an important role when it comes to adding life to the
Signalhuset contains flats for young people and is therefore one district.
of many projects that attract many young people to Ørestad.

The exterior architecture of Ørestad Gymnasium signals books and knowledge, where the interior signals openness and flexibility.

46
Building out and completing Ørestad Syd promises to become an example of a breakthrough in modern city building. The overall vision and the
local plan stipulate a varied combination of urban spaces, from the north-south running green belts over streets and alleys to more dense and
urban surroundings. The houses and blocks forming the city have been designed with much variation and architectural innovation. In the devel-
opment process the focus has been on urban closeness in all its facets. From an international perspective Ørestad Syd is developing into one
of the most interesting urban development areas in recent times.

Ørestad Syd New urban places and spaces

The quarter Ørestad Syd, stretching from the Øresund Ørestad City is a new way of building a city, where urban
motorway to the city limits at Kalvebod Fælled, may from spaces are created before the houses.
an overall perspective be characterized as the city in the It appears in the local plan for Ørestad Syd that the
open landscape. This is the southernmost part of Ørestad, position between the preserved Kalvebod Fælled and the
and there is a clear demarcation between the district and Metro must be used to make Ørestad Syd an attractive,
the preserved areas of Western Amager. integrated urban area. Through a balance between resi-
In Ørestad Syd the architect firm ARKKI wanted to dential and non-residential, it is the aim to create optimal
clearly define urban units contrasting the landscape. Thus, conditions for a multi-functional use that may support a
the buildings in Ørestad will add to the emphasis on the diverse city life, counteract architectural uniformity and
landscape, the sky and spaces. Furthermore, focus is on monotony and secure safe surroundings full of life.
building densely, giving the synergy effect that people live Proportionally, there will be more dwellings in areas
and work close to each other – the precondition of the viewing green areas and fewer dwellings in areas close to
birth of a city. heavy traffic, but all blocks will be residential/non-resi-
Ørestad Syd is the modern version of traditional and dential mixed. The majority of the flats will be large flats
historical ideals of the good city – a dense city whose suited for families, which are still in shortage in Copenhagen.
major squares, streets and alleys all together form urban About 500 smaller flats will also be built, including halls
diversity organized in a simple structure. of residence.
The structure is that of three north-south running green The local plan also describes a hierarchy of urban
fingers, each with its own special urban landscape. spaces offering different kinds of uses and commercial,
cultural and recreational activities. Along the main pedes-
trian street, shops, restaurants and other public functions
are prioritised – at the same time cultural, social and leisure

47
functions should be integrated. Thus, a varied and vibrant Apart from a comprehensive school, which the City of
environment is created. All in all, eight places will function Copenhagen is currently planning, there will be a need for
as local meeting points and social landmarks in the quarter. day care institutions, just as a health care centre and a
Based on the local plan for Ørestad Syd, in an archi- church may be built in the quarter.
tectural competition in 2006 the Øresund Development Most shops, institutions and other public functions will
Corporation invited suggestions for a master plan for the be placed along the main pedestrian street, which will
urban spaces in Ørestad Syd. Seven squares and three start at Vestamager Metro station.
oblong urban spaces were to be designed for the new South and west of Ørestad Syd we find Kalvebod
quarter. It was required that these urban spaces should Fælled. The transition from the dense city to the wide
support urban life around the clock and keep a balance open landscape will be dramatic. This transition may best
between quiet and activity. be compared with the transition between Copenhagen
and the Sound. The artist Hein Heinsen’s 7.5 metre tall
bronze sculpture, ”The Great Changer”, is thought as a
symbol of the transition from city to countryside.
The more than 2,000 hectare large common offers a
rich plant and animal life in an open landscape. There is a
reserve her, a sanctuary for ducks, geese and wading
birds. At Kalvebod Fælled we find Naturcenter Vestamager
and its changing exhibitions of nature in the area. Close
to the Naturcenter lies the playground Naturlegepladsen
Himmelhøj, created by Italian landscape architect Alfio
Bonnano.
Development in Ørestad Syd has been fast. Politically,
The architectural competition for the urban spaces in Ørestad, held by the local plan was passed by the city council in December
the Øresund Development Corporation, was won by landscape
2005 and January 2006. Roads and squares are built
architects GHB Landskabsarkitekter A/S and Bystrup Arkitekter. GHB’s
proposals – like the one above – all feature water as a theme. now, lakes are dug out, etc., and the first flats have been
put up for sale. Housing blocks will start to rise in 2007
The winners of the competition were found in 2007 – and 2008. Ørestad is expected finished within the next
GHB Landskabsarkitekter A/S and Bystrup Arkitekter A/S 10 to 15 years. Among the many building projects, all
shared the first prize. GHB’s proposals all feature water having a view over Kalvebod Fælled, will be:
as a theme. At the award ceremony the overall proposal A big block around the central square of Ørestad
was described as ”charming, seductive and of a high ar- Syd. JM Danmark will build 180 dwellings drawn by
chitectural quality”. The judges thought that Bystrup’s pro- 3xNielsen. Samvirkende Boligselskaber and KAB will build
posal used two places facing Amager Fælled better, and 75 council flats drawn by Domus Arkitekter A/S.
therefore GHB´s first prize was slightly smaller. At these Essex Park Ørestad, which will have 175 owner-occu-
two places the themes are light and wind. pied flats and 80 tenancies designed by, among others,
Vandkunsten and Arkitema. This block will also house
A unique quarter shops and cafés.
Fri Kvarteret, which will be built by Kuben and AREEA.
Copenhagen will have a quite new neighbourhood in Øre- There will be about 300 dwellings with roof landscapes
stad Syd. The designs of blocks and flats will be interna- and atrium gardens designed to become active parts of the
tional and experimental. The residents will experience flats. The block plan for Fri Kvarteret has been made by
both living in a capital and in the middle of nature. Ørestad an international architect team counting Entasis (Copen-
Syd will be a vibrant place of 10,000 residents. Life here hagen), Wingårdh (Gothenburg), Jensen & Skodvin (Oslo)
will be generated from the many functions in the quarter, and Vogt (Zurich).
such as shops, cafés, parks, canals, etc. All these functions Lake City, built be Arkitekt-Gruppen, having both
will be surrounded by 2,000 hectare preserved nature. owner-occupied flats and tenancies. The buildings consist
Ørestad will be the most populated area in Ørestad, its of both blocks, dense-low building and a kindergarden,
dwellings housing about 10,000 people. Commuters, resi- communal rooms, and a mini marina with lake access. The
dents, employees, school children and others will stir the drawing office Vandkunsten made the master plan for the
area to life every hour of the day. complex.

48
Model of BIG HOUSE, designed by the young drawing office BIG. With a playful and mischievous architecture, BIG HOUSE offers a quite
different and unexpected interpretation of the block structure of Ørestad Syd: a mountain village as a provocation in the classic city, or a new,
modern interpretation of the cheap building style in the last decades.

BIG HOUSE. The consortium Frederikssund Holding A/S, Close to the low buildings two sculpturally formed tower
Dansk Oliekompagni and Høpfner A/S are behind this blocks will rise.
building. There will be commercial activities, a day care In the southern part of Nordkranen a number of different
centre and about 580 flats. Bjarke Ingels Group are the architects work on a variation of dwellings and commercial
architects. There will be terrace houses, flats and pent- buildings. Force4 and 3xNielsen design terrace houses,
houses. The project was inspired by traditional Danish co- the Dutch architects MVRDV and HST Arkitekter designed
operative building and functionalist architecture, as well flats with special balconies, Hvidt & Mølgaard concen-
as by Me-diterranean and conventional Danish architec- trates on the theme living rooms and outdoor rooms, and
ture. When completed, BIG HOUSE will be the largest Jan Søndergaard from KHRAS offers his bid for a renewal
residential buildings in Ørestad. of the modern flat. As to urban space and landscape,
Holistic House, a culture house for body and soul. Hannemanns Allé itself will be worked on by landscape
Modelled on the Icelandic concept, The Blue Lagoon in architect Lisbeth Westergaard.
Reykjavik, a wellness centre will be built in Ørestad Syd.
It will be a combination of a health centre and a recrea- EUROPAN
tional hotel.
Stævnen. The client is Sjælsø Gruppen A/S, who will One of the blocks in Ørestad Syd is at the disposal of the
build a 165-flat residential project. To the east and the European EUROPAN project. Young architects, i.e. under
south the buildings will border directly on a coming lake the age of 40, from all over Europe were invited to partici-
area. To the west the complex will be demarcated by a wide pate in a competition about new architecture in a new
canal street. The flats are designed by Vilhelm Lauritzen’s framework.
drawing office. The first stone was laid at the beginning The competition took place in all EU countries, and as
of June. many as 69 interested groups announced their partici-
pation. Organizing the project took place in cooperation with
Hannemanns Allé the Ministry of Culture and the City of Copenhagen. Win-
ners were found in the autumn of 2007.
The Sjælsø Gruppen project Copenhagen Towers and the
NCC buildings designed by Norwegian architect Nils Torp Copenhagen Towers
constitute, together with the southern part of Nordkranen,
the large urban space along Hannemanns Allé. Nils Torp´s Sjælsø Gruppen A/S is behind one of the most conspicuous
project consists of low buildings varying much in form on projects in Ørestad at all, namely Copenhagen Towers,
streets binding small, intimate urban places to a whole. which will be erected in Ørestad Syd.

49
In March 2006 Sjælsø Gruppen A/S bought 129,000 tion to office facilities for big and small companies, the
floor sqm building rights for a commercial complex south complex will house a hotel with 250 rooms, 130 hotel flats,
of the Øresund motorway in Ørestad. Since the contract meeting facilities and cafés, fitness centres and a series
was made, Sjælsø Gruppen A/S and the Ørestad Develop- of shops.
ment Corporation worked on architecture and concept of In the same area SEB Pension and the engineering and
the project. consulting firm Rambøll agreed on a big joint office build-
It is the world famous English architect firm, Foster + ing project. Rambøll will be the primary tenant with about
Partners, in cooperation with the Danish architect firm, 1,000 employees.
DISSING+WEITLING, that stand behind devising the
master plan and projecting the first phases. Among other
buildings, the project, which will face the Øresund motor- Together with Sir Norman Foster, the great English architect, the
Danish architect firm Dissing+Weitling designed a convincing
way, will consist of three 80-metre tower blocks. In addi- composition of elegant tower blocks, Copenhagen Towers, in the
centre of Ørestad City.

50
Photo credits

Frontpage: Ole Malling, Mikal Schlosser, Lene Skytthe, René Strandbygaard,


Ole Ziegler, Lundgaard & Tranberg, Eyecadcher.
Page 7: Jan Kofod Winther
Page 10: Mogens Bech
Page 11: Jan Kofod Winther
Page 12: Mogens Bech
Page 13: Dennis Rosenfeldt
Page 14: Dennis Rosenfeldt
Page 15: Dennis Rosenfeldt, Jan Kofod Winther
Page 16: COWI (midten)
Page 17: Dennis Rosenfeldt, Jan Kofod Winther
Page 18: Dennis Rosenfeldt
Page 19: Eyecadcher
Page 20: Jan Kofod Winther
Page 21: Jan Kofod Winther
Page 22: Eyecadcher
Page 23: Future Systems
Page 24: Scanpix/Torben Christensen
Page 25: Dennis Rosenfeldt, Eyecadcher
Page 26: Jan Kofod Winther
Page 27: Plot/West 8
Page 28: Jan Kofod Winther
Page 29: Jan Kofod Winther
Page 31: Julie Dufour Wiese
Page 33: Lene Skytthe
Page 34: Lene Skytthe, Teit Hornbak
Page 35: Lene Skytthe, Mikal Schlosser
Page 37: Lene Skytthe
Page 38: Lene Skytthe
Page 39: Mikal Schlosser, René Strandbygaard
Page 40: Lene Skytthe, DR Byen
Page 41: Søren Hytting
Page 42: Rene Strandbygaard, Lene Skytthe
Page 43: Lene Skytthe, BIG
Page 44: Lene Skytthe, Studio Daniel Liebeskind
Page 45: Ole Ziegler
Page 46: Lene Skytthe, Mikal Schlosser
Page 47: tre.d
Page 49: BIG
Page 50: Eyecadcher

ISBN: 978-87-92302-02-1
Status, urban development
Copyright: The Port & City Development Corporation
Text: Mads Christiansen
Graphic design: Lars Green
Text and photo editing: Mads Christiansen
Last revision: 2007
The Port & City Development Corporation I/S

7 Nordre Toldbod
PO Box 2083
DK-1013 Copenhagen K

Tel: (+45) 3376 9800


www.arealudvikling.dk

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