THE SOUL OF NEW-BUILD COPENHAGEN

  • The pioneer spirit of new residential neighborhoods in Copenhagen

What character – and what kind of soul – can be found in Copenhagen’s new urban districts? What is it really like to live in the city’s newly developed neighbourhoods, and which communities, lifestyles, and everyday practices are emerging here? Are these areas primarily designed for the few – or is there room for many?

In this lecture, urban life consultant and cand.comm. Mira M. Cordsen takes a close look at the architecture, the people, regenerative placemaking and everyday life in Copenhagen’s new-build districts. Through narrative case studies and analytical perspectives, she invites the audience on a series of “urban walking narratives” through the city’s new neighbourhoods, demonstrating how architecture, public space, and daily life are inextricably linked.

The lecture is based on a range of concrete case studies:

  • Århusgadekvarteret in Nordhavn, where everyday life unfolds in close proximity to the water.

  • Grønttorvet in Valby, where green rooftops, shared spaces, and neighbourhood life set the agenda.

  • Ørestad South, where the nearby nature reserve, Fælleden, defines the rhythm of daily life and reused architecture and new housing typologies emerge side by side.

The lecture also takes a closer look at Carlsberg Byen – a district built on industrial heritage, hops, and the legacy of J.C. Jacobsen and Sven Eske Kristensen. How do new developments balance contemporary architecture with historical layers? And how does urban development work with identity, sense of place, and architectural continuity?

The lecture addresses broader questions of urban transformation:
What values and ideals are shaped in new-build districts? How are life and a sense of place created in newly developed areas? And which neighbourhoods are next when the cranes move on?

An inspiring, research-based lecture for anyone interested in urban development, architecture, and the quality of everyday life in the Copenhagen of the future.

TARGET GROUP
Professionals working with new urban developments, including urban planners, municipalities, and architects.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

  • The lecture requires a projector

  • Duration: 1.5 hours

  • Price: DKK 10,000 (VAT exempt. Travel time exceeding one hour is subject to a mileage fee of DKK 10 per km)

  • Maximum number of participants: 50 (a surcharge applies for more than 50 participants)

LECTURE SERIES
The lectures “The Soul of New-Build Copenhagen,” “The City as a Stage,” “Green Communities in the City,” “Alternative Housing Models in the City,” and “Architectural Works by Bjarke Ingels Group” can be arranged as a complete lecture series for a total price of DKK 40,000.