I was looking at an architectural photo essay today and started thinking about the powerful role architecture plays in creating the essence of a city. But what happens when something radical and different appears?
Copenhagen (København) has found a way to blend architectural styles and not have it become a visually cacophonous eye sore. Ultra modern bank buildings sit beside 300 year old boat sheds. For some reason it seems very natural, very Copenhagen. Hmmmm…
I’ve determined that it’s because high-quality small-scale projects are pursued throughout the entire city, allowing people to experience new architecture in familiar settings.
Copenhagen hasn’t fallen into the global skyscraper race. So many cities go for architectural ‘wow factor’ in scale, creating isolated zones of engineering eccentricity that lack connection to the rest of the city. Take George Saunders’ impression of Dubai in The New Mecca: “like four or five architects staged a weird-off with unlimited funds.”
Copenhagen architecture is less about spectacle and more about pushing the essence of the city into new territory. A locally minded pollination of new design allows Copenhagen residents to connect with progressive architecture often and in personal contexts. Because of this, pioneering change in a traditional streetscape doesn’t come off as wild or alienating.
This picture is taken at Tietgenskollegiet, where some friends lived while we were studying at Copenhagen Business School. It’s a building with unforgettable design, but it also happens to be one of the most functional living spaces I have ever experienced. It isn’t a monumental showpiece. It’s a student residence in a quiet suburb.
Copenhagen has been voted the world’s most livable city in a number of recent surveys.
So what is the essence of Copenhagen? That embracing innovation and new ideas can be a way of life.
