"Life, space, buildings - in that order". This phrase, from the Danish urban architect Jan Gehl, sums up the changes that Copenhagen has undergone in the last 50 years. Currently known as one of the cities with the highest levels of quality of life satisfaction, the way its public spaces and buildings were and are designed have inspired architects, government authorities and urban planners around the world. What we see today, however, is the result of courageous decision-making, much observation and, above all, designs that put people first. Copenhagen will be the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture in 2023 as well as host of the UIA World Congress of Architects due to its strong legacy in innovative architecture and urban development, along with its concerted efforts in matters of climate, sustainability solutions and livability.
But those who think the city's mentality has always been like this are mistaken. During the 1960s and 1970s, Copenhagen did as most large European cities did, building highways and developing essentially modernist plans, such as the Finger Plan of 1948, which foresaw the urban development of the metropolitan area concentrated linearly alongside a network of 5 major arteries of roads and railroads. The plan, however, did not come to fruition, mainly because Denmark did not have the financial resources at the time –coming out of World War II–, causing the city to take another direction in the following decades.
As Gehl describes it in his book Cities for People, after years of restricting pedestrian spaces in favor of automobiles, in 1962 Copenhagen simply converted the city's traditional main boulevard, Strøget, into a pedestrian walkway. This prompted enormous criticism and skepticism, which targeted, above all, the harsh local climate and the more reserved personality of the Nordic people. What the data proved, however, was a 35 percent increase in the number of pedestrians in the first year alone, and by 2005 the area dedicated to pedestrians and city life had increased sevenfold. This is Jan Gehl's most important contribution to the field of urbanism: working on projects that focus on people (their scale, demands, and particularities) and, along with this, developing methods to measure, quantify and qualify urban spaces.
Public space plays a fundamental role in city life. It is a space for human contact, for meetings between different cultural and social groups, and where planned and spontaneous social interactions can occur. It consists of parks and squares, but also of the streets themselves, which in Copenhagen have the distinction of an extensive and connected network of bicycle paths. This is yet another break that the city has made with the modern design of large highways and dependence on fossil fuels. Cycling is, without a doubt, the best way to get around the city, with more than 40% of its inhabitants using bikes on a daily basis. Pedestrians and cyclists are important for what Jane Jacobs called the "eyes of the street". Because they move at lower speeds and are fully integrated into the urban environment, cyclists become natural observers and engage more with each other and with the attractions offered by the city. Well-designed public spaces make for healthier, more creative and inclusive cities, where regardless of economic status, gender, age, ethnicity, or religion, everyone can participate in the opportunities that cities offer.
One example is the Copenhagen waterfront. The water of the harbor has been treated and is now so clean that it is suitable for swimming. This has created a number of new leisure and living options for the inhabitants, with water sports, urban beaches, and floating structures that are extremely popular with residents and tourists alike. Copenhagen Harbour Bath, designed by BIG + JDS and Kalvebod Waves, by JDS + KLAR are two examples of singular structures, with good architecture, that create movement and new urban amenities in their surroundings.
Town squares have also acquired a special kind of protagonism in Copenhagen's urban spaces, creating areas of conviviality and leisure in everyday life. Israels Plads Square exemplifies well the transformations that the city has undergone. From a vibrant historic open-air market, the square became a lifeless parking lot in the 1950s. The new square, built in 2014, is elevated above the existing street level, keeping the cars underground while creating a large urban playground and activity area above. Another prominent urban attraction is Superkilen. Located in one of the most ethnically diverse and socially challenged neighborhoods in Denmark, the plaza takes a unique approach: it brings in elements from around the world, through objects, textures and colors. As the project designers, Topotek 1 + BIG Architects + Superflex, point out, “A sort of surrealist collection of global urban diversity that in fact reflects the true nature of the local neighborhood – rather than perpetuating a petrified image of homogenous Denmark.”
Yet another lesson from Copenhagen is that you can include community spaces even in the most unusual places. This is the case of Park 'n' Play, by JAJA Architects, which transforms a parking building into an asset for the city, with an active green façade and a rooftop playground. The famous CopenHill Energy Plant and Urban Recreation Center by Danish firm BIG, on the other hand, uses a functional infrastructure building as an artificial mountain where you can even go skiing.
The Danish capital demonstrates to the world that there are realistic solutions for commuting and urban public spaces in large cities, without requiring huge open areas or complex road infrastructures. To do this, it combines in a compact and dense city, a network of public spaces, sustainable mobility, and the human scale. This and other examples of successful public spaces show that a focus on people, their scale and demands is much more important than huge urban plans or imposing skylines.
For more information and tips about the city, go to VisitCopenhagen.
