Harbor Waves
The harbor-front project “Kalvebod Waves” officially opened on Aug. 30, 2013 at the Kalvebod Pier (Kalvebod Brygge) in Copenhagen. The design by Julien de Smedt Architects and KLAR won first prize in a competition from December 2008. Not far from the popular Islands Brygge Park in the city, Kalvebod Waves is the latest phase of a longterm plan that aims to revive a formerly desolate section of the pier into a welcoming hub for urban and water activities.
At the turn of the millennium, the center of Copenhagen was given an incredible breath of fresh air or rather fresh grass by the opening of Islands Brygge Park. The project injected some 28.000 m² of outdoor space for all.
Kalvebod Brygge is situated opposite the popular Copenhagen summer hang out, Islands Brygge. Kalvebod Brygge has the potential to be Islands Brygge’s more urban counterpart but has, until now, been synonymous with a desolated office address devoid of life and public activities. JDS, in collaboration with Klar, will redesign the harbour front Kalvebod Brygge as the result of a tender held by the City of Copenhagen, within the newly established ‘Metropolzone’
Historically this part of the harbour was devoted to industrial activities however in the 80’s and 90’s, the city developed the area into an architecturally austere mono-programmed harbour front, leaving its quay barren and open to strong winds and deserted by citizens. When addressing this infamously gloomy and desolated side of the harbour, the architecture team put their focus on two major design aspects: to create urban continuity and to locate themselves on the sunny spots of the water.
With a close connection to the central train station and Tivoli, Copenhagen’s famous city amusement park, ‘Kalvebod Bølge’, the ‘Kalvebod Waves’ will become a hub, buzzing with activity and providing a chance for the inner city to regain its connection to the harbour. Constituted more by its functionality than its tradition, this inner city site is less fragile than others and manifests Copenhagen’s contemporary urban waterfront. Since its official opening, the redesigned harbor has reportedly already attracted public attention – and perhaps for years to come.
The 4,000 sq m development consists of a ’waving’ pier, where the citizens and visitors of Copenhagen can explore the water-front from different levels and enjoy its scenic views. From here they can take a walk or boat-tour, rent a kayak in the kayak-hotel, get a coffee in one of the container shops, sit in the sun or simply enjoy an exciting and active public space.
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Materials provided by Julien de Smedt Architects (JDS) and KLAR