cobe: nordholmene

nordholmene by cobe architects all images courtesy cobe, sleth modernism, polyform and rambøll

danish architects cobe, in collaboration with sleth modernism, polyform and rambøll, are currently developing the largest urban transformation project in scandinavia. with 200 ha, copenhagen’s northern harbor is today used as harbor, but expected to be transformed into a new copenhagen neighborhood within the next 40 to 50 years. fully developed, it will provide the living environment of 40,000 residents and 40,000 people will work there.

with the post industrial landscape as a starting point and guideline, a series of new canals are dug out. while respecting the cultural heritage of the harbour, the canals add new qualities to the plan in several areas: they improve liveability as well as commercial value, they act as a tool for feasible phasing, and they give a sense of place in the vast nordhavnen area. the resulting islets will become individual neighbourhoods, each with own identies and qualities. the islets will all have mixed programmes of housing, offices, commerce, culture, sports etc.

the project has a distinct emphasis on the south facing quays. multiplied by the addition of new canals, each one holds significant qualities and potentials. all quaysides will be publicly accessible, and in terms of greenery and landscaping graduate from dense and urban in the south, to wide and wild in the north.

strong emphasis is put on bikes and public transportation. an elevated metro loop paired with express bike lanes tie the area together. as well as being a strong visual and recreational element, the combined metro/bike system will reduce car journeys to 25% of the total traffic in the area.

faced with climate change as a result of modern way of life, the urban development of such vast territories implies great responsibilities on the makers of new cities. ‘nordholmene’ applies a holistic view on ecological sustainability in all aspects of the development. local solutions regarding energy, water and waste management are paired with a regional outlook on sustainability, incorporating region-wide networks.

the project makes use of geothermics, heat pumps for storing energy produced by local wind turbines, and alternative energy sources namely ‘sea lettuce’, a fast-growing algea absorbing CO2 channelled from a nearby power plant, for producing heat, ethanol and electricity. these and other innovative solutions make ‘nordholmene’ a truly sustainable city. cobe’s plan of the city was recently showcased as a lighthouse project during the COP15 climate conference in copenhagen in december 2009.

plan of the sustainable city

project info: place: northern harbor, copenhagen, denmark client: copenhagen city and port development, denmark program: structural plan for the northern harbour size: 200 ha status: 1st prize in international competition in 2008 team: cobe, sleth modernism, polyform and rambøll