An innovative cloudburst project in Copenhagen’s South harbour protects residents against water in their basements and at the same time gives them a unique urban space linking Sydhavnen old and new.

Scandiagade

16-007

Description

Innovative climate proofing

On Scandiagade, 1:1 Landskab has designed a landscape that can both handle heavy volumes of rainwater and function as a recreational park for the residents. A central reserve with beautiful old trees has been transformed into an innovative urban space with eight basins that can hold 1,500 m3 rainwater. When it rains, the basins delay the rainwater, ensuring that the sewers do not overflow. When it is dry, they provide space for a host of activities.

Urban space with clear identity

Traversing the basins is an attractive wooden walkway with neon yellow sides, which gives the park a clear identity. The entrances to the urban space are marked with welcoming coloured lamps. Along the way, a small space with a large bench allows you to watch the sun go down over Frederiksholm church, while another space provides room for a spontaneous rendezvous and tango on a light summer’s evening.

Public meetings and resident democracy

The residents have had a say in what goes into the basins, resulting in eight very different basins. There is a mini adventure playground, a butterfly garden, a beach basin with hammock, a basin with kitchen gardens, a hilly landscape, a stone garden, a basin inspired by Sydhavnen’s famous Tippen area and a fenced experimental garden, where nature is totally left to its own devices. The experimental garden is to provide knowledge about how nature behaves inside the city if not controlled.

Increases biodiversity

1:1 Landskab has gone all out to create an urban space with a high degree of biodiversity. Uncleaned soil has, for example, been brought in from Furesø Municipality. The hope is that, along with 126 different plants, the uncleaned soil will create favourable conditions for insects and butterflies, enriching the area and creating more balanced urban nature.

A dull central reservation has been transformed into an urban space for people and nature. In the middle of one of Copenhagen’s most populated and busy areas, we are seeing a variety of plant species that are bringing nature back into the urban space
  • Jacob Kamp, partner at 1:1 Landskab