The Australian architect Marshall Blecher came to Copenhagen to finish his architectural education. He lived in a houseboat in the Danish capital’s harbor environment – and there the idea for Copenhagen islands struck him.
Blecher’s project introduced a new archetype of urban space to the city; a “parkipelago” of floating islands, open and free to be used by an increasing number of boaters, fishermen, kayakers, stargazers and swimmers.
Together with Danish design studio Studio Fokstrot Blacher is essentially creating a network of small floating parks made from sustainably sourced and recycled materials in the city’s harbors.
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The first island, CPH Ø, is 20 square meters (215 sq. ft.) and was set out in Copenhagen’s harbor basin in July 2017 and is financed with contributions from the Danish Arts Foundation and Havnekulturpuljen. The island became immediately a popular destination for swimmers and kayakers.
According to a statement from Studio Fokstrot, the park provided a changing green space for visitors, “moving from place to place, hosting part of a photography exhibition, a series of talks and many seaside picnics.”
It became a popular feature in the harbor, and several new islands have been launched since CPH Ø was launched.
The islands reintroduce wilderness and whimsey to the rapidly gentrifying harbor with endemic plants, trees and grasses above and anchor points below providing a habitat for birds and insects, seaweeds, fish and mollusks. the islands bring a constantly changing, green space into the center of the city. The project also hints at a new type of climate resilient urbanism, inherently flexible in its use and only using sustainably sourced and recycled materials.
Marshall Blecher is from sunny Sydney, but Scandinavia is not just summer and sun. There are also winter storms with snow and ice. Therefore, the islands are towed in for winter storage in sheltered parts of the harbor.
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The islands are constructed by hand in the boatbuilding yards in the south harbor of Copenhagen using traditional wooden boat building techniques and are moved seasonally between underutilized and newly developed parts of the harbor, catalyzing new life and activity.
The project, which is supported by the city council, was awarded the Taipei International Design Award for public space and the award for social design. It was also a finalist in the Beazley Design Prize at the London Design Museum and was a finalist in the Danish Design Prize.
Copenhagen Islands, written by Tor Kjolberg
All images © Copenhagen Islands.