Scan Magazine | Issue 69 | October 2014

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Architecture Denmark

Blurring the edges Among Holscher Nordberg Architecture and Planning’s many projects are a string of living quarters in previously industrial or under-developed areas of Copenhagen. The areas are being redeveloped to accommodate the rapidly growing number of families and singles who choose to stay in the city but also want unique homes that can be tailored to their lives. However, Holscher and Nordberg consider not only the individual living space, which is much needed here and now, but also the shared spaces, which are key to the areas’ functionality and longevity. Nordberg explains that one of the main means to further both is softening the transition between the individual dimension and the urban dimension. “You see a lot of buildings where the focus has been exclusively on the individual living space, the apartments. These might then be perfect, but no thought has been put into the correlation with the surroundings. Creating more layers can add a lot, both architectonically and socially: you might live in a 90,000 square metre structure, but you have a different experience if that building is split into smaller townhouses; you’ll feel a greater connec-

tion and social bond with your neighbours – feel more at home.” Creating bigger, shared terraces; protruding or transparent facades; smaller divisions; and other connecting elements are thus among the main characteristics of Holscher Nordberg Architecture and Planning’s sustainable architecture. Another is the interlinking of private and commercial space, something that is, says Nordberg, essential but at times extremely difficult. “Shops, cafes and businesses are part of what creates the good life. But attracting them to new neighbourhoods is difficult and needs to be prioritised from the outset. It is something that calls for long-term planning, investment, and high ambitions.” Looping and spiralling people together One of Holscher Nordberg Architecture and Planning’s newest projects is a playful ‘loop walkway’ located in the Værebro Park, an old housing estate suffering from high crime rates and a declining number of inhabitants. The low-budget yet aesthetic element is designed as a playful path offering a variation of activities and a physical and mental bridge between the different

users of the area. “Really, it’s about showing and creating a feeling of superfluous resources in an area that doesn’t really have a lot,” explains Nordberg. The company is also behind several of Copenhagen’s new harbour areas such as Fordgrunden and Skibbroen in the South Harbour. Among newer proposals created by the firm is an ambitious plan for a new living quarter in Bellahøjen, a Greater Copenhagen neighbourhood with its own distinct character and challenges. The project, which includes a combination of private terraced houses and subsidised flats, is constructed in a spiral shape. “The spiral creates a borderless and interconnected urban space, and that’s a very conscious choice because it ensures that it is not split up into ‘us and them’ areas,” stresses Nordberg and concludes: “It creates a natural way for people to be together across economic disparities. Of course, we cannot force people to talk and socialise, but we can create a space that makes it easier and more natural.” For more information, please visit: www.holschernordberg.dk

Værebro Park - The Loop

Issue 69 | October 2014 | 37


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