Visuals by Henning Larsen

A dramatic urban landscape 
We are proud to have been a part of the competition proposal for a new park in Nordhavn, Copenhagen. Transforming the old industrial harbour environment, we envisioned both a vibrant nature experience and a sensory escape into the living, untamed landscape. Inspired by Denmark’s coastal cliffs and the romantic landscapes of Danish Golden Age painters, the park would become a place where biodiversity takes the lead and urban life follows.

Strategic layers over time 
The park is designed with multiple time scales in mind. On the park’s opening day, the dramatic topography would serve as a destination in itself. And as the years passed, our design would supply the necessary natural infrastructure for letting the free developments of plant and animal life progress in parallel with the changing demographic and social context of the surrounding urban areas, changing its function within the city.

With a phased approach, the 30 hectare park develops in two strategic layers, which ensures it develops with the social and environmental needs of the future generations of Copenhagen. The base park structures a primary framework for biodiversity and activities, and a supplementary park introduces a flexible layer for a variety of life and activities to develop and take place over time.

Our role
As citizen engagement experts, our role within the team was focused on creating a park that responds to the needs of different and changing demographic groups. This was a central consideration in the park’s development over time, as well as for the concept of sections of the park as a collectively managed resource. By establishing a framework, we allow intergenerational voices through citizen and association involvement to sculpt the environment and foster a sense of identity and ownership.