copenhagen study tour
copenhagen study tour
ben wayles 2018
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day one :
amaliehaven : 8 - 11
copenhagen : 4 - 5
bredgade 30 : 12 - 13
contents
bertel thorvaldsen square : 6 - 7
havneparken : 20 - 21
brygge island : 18 - 19 cirkelbroen bridge : 16 - 17
other sites - : 22 - 25
day two : malmĂś
malmÜ saluhall : 28 - 29 stapelbädden : 32 - 33 streetscapes : 26 - 27
vacant sites : 30 - 31
copenhagen study tour
christiania : 14 - 15
copenhagen study tour
day three :
scaniaparken : 34 - 37 other sites : 40 - 41 ankarparken : 38 - 39 designmuseum denmark : 42 - 45 day four :
contents
kalvebod bølge : 52 - 53
nyboder : 48 - 49 kastellet : 46 - 47 other sites : 50 - 51
amager fælled : 54 - 55
kærlighedsøen : 56 - 59 copenhagen : 64-65
other sites : 60 3
amager strand : 61 - 53
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- simplification without upsetting the balance of form & function - truth to the materiaals
copenhagen
this book is a representation of my time copenhagen & malmĂś, exploring how scandinavian & danish design ethoses are interpreted in the landscape. these include :-
- a deep respect for the task at hand
55.6761° N, 12.5683° E
copenhagen study tour
- facilitating meaningful connections between the user, their tools for living & the environment
copenhagen study tour
copenhagen
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copenhagen study tour
bertel thorvaldsen
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copenhagen study tour bertel thorvaldsen bertel square mixes simple design, use of symmetry & a consideration for materials. it is extremely well finished, though it lets elements, such as the tree & drainpipe, age without obstruction. elements of colour in the building & simple path markings, become 7
extremely vibrant
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amaliehaven
view to the opera house looking southeast planting in areas is highly maintained
copenhagen study tour
views to the palace looking northwest a mixture of formal & brutal design
copenhagen study tour
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copenhagen study tour
amaliehaven 13.04.18 10
copenhagen study tour amaliehaven 11
amaliehaven mixes a formal, classical garden with almost brutalist structures in the form of lighting & sculptures. it seems to represent danish design as a whole, on the face looking simple & refined, but is internally complex & highly considered. planting elements show this idea as perfectly formed shapes are surrounded by complexity
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bredgade 30 copenhagen study tour
this square was found completely by chance. we were drawn in by framed views of the internal water feature & a well lit passage. it made a little considered space extremely inviting. the design was very minimal, but took advantage of the lighting & acoustic properties of the space. the planting was simple & hardy
copenhagen study tour bredgade 30
the movement of echoed in the space & created reflection along with the windows
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christiania copenhagen study tour
christiania is a well known freetown within the city centre. housing varies from boats, handmade structures & re-purposed industrial buildings. elements tend to be designed through necessity & vegetation is largely left to adapt naturally. it has become a highly trafficked area & feels a bit more closed off than it previously has been, but retains the uniquely scandinavian law of tolerance
copenhagen study tour kaninøen island sits in the middle of a lake surrounded by reeds, trees & well used paths. heading out from christiania these routes can be taken all the way to the city centre
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cirkelbroen bridge copenhagen study tour
cirkelbroen bridge to the south of the city consists of 5 circular platforms creating a bridge across a water outlet. it encourages unique paths of movement across the bridge as the circular platforms expand & retract. it aims to simply enhance the act of movement through play
copenhagen study tour
the materials of the bridge reflect the red brick building it sits next too, whilst the 5 spires represent masts from denmark’s maritime history
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brygee island copenhagen study tour
brygge island creates an platform for swimming in the københavns havn (port of copenhagen). it is an element that takes advantage of a pre existing city resource. the simple wooden structure in places has began to succumb to use, but lends itself to simple repair. we unfortunately only saw it in the off season, but there were still swimmers brave enough to go in
copenhagen study tour
this is likely unreplicable in england due to high pollution levels in city waterways. copenhagen was slow in adopting industrialization compared to the rest of europe. this & a general respect for the natural environment has led to the extremely good water quality.
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havenparken copenhagen study tour
havenparken stretches along the rivers edge & is made up of a mixture of open grasslands, designed parks & recreation areas & retained post industrial elements. this can be seen in the retained archways, inlaid train tracks & reworked pergola structure. in comparison to cities with long industrial histories like berlin, where industrial sites are ubiquitous & well developed, this seemed to be a unique example of this form of development
copenhagen study tour
havenparken
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other sites copenhagen study tour
during the first day we experienced a large number of sites, due to the cities relatively compact size. half we intended to see, but the other found on the way. there is an abundance of sites in copenhagen that are both well designed, but importantly well maintained. these site encourage a diverse range of interactions through there simplicity
copenhagen study tour
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copenhagen study tour
nyhavn 13.04.18 24
copenhagen study tour other sites
materials aging & changing services well considered & implemented
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malmö
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55.6050° N, 13.0038° E
copenhagen study tour
on the second day we got the train to malmö along the øresund bridge, which emerges around a quarter of the way into the sea. it was interesting to see how malmö compared to copenhagen in terms of its design ideologies. being a scandinavian country, it was largely focused again on the 4 previously mentioned principles
copenhagen study tour streetscapes both copenhagen & malmรถ had streetscapes on a much larger scale than we regularly do in england. there design, again being minimal, reduces the visual clutter that we are used too. in its place there was well framed views & small highly considered elements such as these benches being used as bikes stores & the small green bin camouflaging into the vegetation 27
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malmรถ saluhall copenhagen study tour
the first site we arrived at was malmรถ saluhall, a core ten structure that merges into the existing building, whilst subverting the building typology using half of the roof section as a sun shade. the small courtyard reflected the building typology in the paving & made use of the space with large hung lighting
copenhagen study tour malmรถ saluhall contrasting colours from the sky, structure & paving are softened by vegetation in the site
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vacant sites copenhagen study tour
amongst the well designed sites of malmรถ, there was a large amount of vacant & post industrial sites, which is in direct comparison to copenhagen that had very few. these comprise of expansive spaces, with sculptural remains of the cities past. they create very interesting & dynamic spaces, but it appears they are largely being cleared for development. both scandinavian countries seem more adept at clearing large areas & starting again, whereas we may aim to retain much of the historic features
copenhagen study tour
vast expanses of open space with abandoned materials
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stapelbädden copenhagen study tour
stapelbadden was situated amongst these expansive vacant sites & newly built commercial & residential buildings. the large ramp structure was likely for moving good in or out of the existing warehouse structures. it has now been planted with grasses & dwarf pines & is inhabited by smaller local businesses
copenhagen study tour stapelbädden again malmÜ highlights its industrial heritage, making use of vacant structures & turning it into a place of interaction
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scaniaparken copenhagen study tour
the malmรถ seafront is a juxtaposition from the previous post industrial site as it returns to a very simple, precise landscape, which is more recognisably scandinavian. form & function are well balanced as it retains a natural aesthetic, whilst introducing functional flood defence & recreation
copenhagen study tour
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copenhagen study tour
scaniaparken 14.04.18 36
copenhagen study tour scaniaparken introduced material work with the natural ones to make seamless interventions, connected to its place
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ankarparken copenhagen study tour
ankarparken is a site that is respctufl to the task at hand & also creates better environmental & communal connections for its residents. designed by sla the site stretches through residential & commercial areas culminating in a central park
copenhagen study tour ankarparken
materials are used in a refined way, with consideration for the sites longevity. details are all extremely precise & reflect the main value of the site, which is the movement of water. residential fences are done away with in the basin & houses seem to have full connection to the site
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copenhagen study tour
other sites
malmรถ was again a largely walk-able city & we encountered various unintended sites. compared to copenhagen, there was alot more post industrial sites that were currently vacated. it seems to be having somewhat of a renaissance with developments on every other street. through this development, it is still identifiably scandinavian with individuality & uniformity in equal parts
copenhagen study tour other sites
materials showing human interaction abandoned construction materials
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designmuseum denmark copenhagen study tour
the design museum was a hub of all things danish, also exhibiting a series of works from japanese origin that somewhat inspired the simple design style. though focused on objects & artworks, as with landscapes, a balance of form & function could be read in the pieces
copenhagen study tour
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copenhagen study tour
designmuseum denmark 15.04.18
copenhagen study tour
the landscape, with it’s large mature trees, seemed to express a japanese principal. that of wabi sabi, the acceptance of imperfection. a lot of danish landscapes seemed to follow these ideals. in comparison to the museums perfectly preserved pieces, the trees gnarls & bends added to there aesthetic value. maintenance ensures they a site is functional, but it doesn’t whitewash the materials age
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kastellet copenhagen study tour
the kastellet is a uniquely imposed structure in copenhagen with its star formation. the amount of work & precision taken in the creation of this fortification is very impressive. though aesthetically pleasing the shape also provides views on all edges & a near impervious gradient. materials throughout the site are again representative of longevity & history
copenhagen study tour
kastellet
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nyboder copenhagen study tour
the yellow houses of nyboder were originally built to house denmarks expanding naval forces. though yellow, the light skimming of render still reveals the brickwork below. this is a technique seen on numerous other structures in copenhagen. in place the structures were empty, but the area still felt quite vibrant with the surrounding church & square
copenhagen study tour
nyboder
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other sites copenhagen study tour
whilst visiting laura parsons studio, we passed through large residential areas. it seemed that every flat building had a well considered & connected outside space. they are presented in place of gated spaces & are largely formed as pocket parks or open passageways with planting & seating
copenhagen study tour
other sites
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kalvebod bølge copenhagen study tour
on the final day we travelled by bike to experience. it confirms the way in which tasks such as movement are respected & considered. kalvebod bølge represents this ideas as it turns a simple cycle path along the waters edge into something much more playful
copenhagen study tour kalvebod bølge
though experienced by bike, this is just as evetful & dynamic on foot. the undulating ramps create pools & points of entry for boats, whilst seating gives views across the waterways. its robust constructions & material choice, encourages play
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copenhagen study tour
amager fælled
amager fælled is another site we happened to come across. it hasn’t long been accessible, as the cities latrines used to empty there giving it the name ‘shit island’, though it is now a nature reserve. elements of the city can be seen amongst the tree line, but it became easy to forget how close we were to the city. the land is a mixture of grass meadows & wetlands, with spontaneous vegetation throughout
copenhagen study tour amager fĂŚlled
some of the waste has been used to make large mounds & despite its previous history it has become a well used place for runners, walkers & bike riders
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kærlighedsøen copenhagen study tour
also called lovers island, this sculpture was created by bjørn nørgaard to represent love, women and nature. it sits on the far west corner of amager fælled. a thin core ten bridge leads you amongst the 4 coloured roof panels. seating & views into amager fælled made this a great rest spot
copenhagen study tour
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copenhagen study tour
kÌrlighedsøen 16.04.18 58
copenhagen study tour
in summer months this becomes a large water feature, with water cascading down the column, then flowing into the wetland basin
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copenhagen study tour
other sites
seeing the city y bike was a vastly different experience. we were saw large amounts of the city, but it confirmed the act of cycling as a well respected & encouraged mode of transport.
copenhagen study tour amager strand
amager strand was our final destination. a man made dune to combat soil erosion, that embodied all that is good about danish & scandinavian design
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copenhagen study tour
amager strand
materials used are intended to withstand the full force of coastal swells. the muted palette fits well with the surrounding & doesn’t draw attention from the experiential qualities of the space
copenhagen study tour horizon lines disappear amongst the fog
mounds across the site frame views drawing you in
amager strand paths follow the site topography
the simplicity allows a multitude of uses
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copenhagen study tour
amager strand shows how through simplicity, respect, material choice & a facilitaion of use instead of prescription, a site can be functional, yet exciting. it represented the perfect culmination of what i think danish design is
copenhagen study tour
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