Plans for Copenhagen's First 'Climate Adapted' Neighborhood Unveiled

Combining sustainability and livability principles, the city of Copenhagen, with the help of architectural firm TREDJE NATUR, is looking to transform a stretch of its streets and squares into lively public spaces and a laboratory for water management.

According to Holmes, "The project introduces bicycle paths that act as storm water channels, water towers, green roofs, urban gardens, green houses and canals that carry water out from the neighborhood to the harbor. And simultaneously give rise to greater biological diversity in the city."

Developing new methods of diverting rainwater have been incorporated as a focus of the design. "A key concept is the idea that the urban spaces are flooded when it rains and that the water remains in the urban spaces a little longer than usual," says Holmes. "This relieves the sewer systems, and also helps to transform the experience and the use of the urban spaces."