The architecture in Orestad

[TORONTOCOPENHAGEN]

What is your opinion about the architecture in Ørestad?

In my view, the interesting buildings are outnumbered by the boring and normal ones.

Ferring, VM Husene and Tietgen are in my opinion the only projects that are interesting with KPMG being bearable.

The University and the IT-University are nice, bt not that innovative.

But what about Karen Blixen Parken, Parkhusene and Fields?

In my view, every single project should be unique. They aren't.

Another thing that irritates me about the Orestad is that I am confident that once completed it will be as dead as the suburbs after 8 PM. I want street level shopping, street level cafés and squares. Fields and the future expansion kills the street life.

Peter K

[staff]

Another thing that irritates me about the Orestad is that I am confident that once completed it will be as dead as the suburbs after 8 PM. I want street level shopping, street level cafés and squares. Fields and the future expansion kills the street life.
Classic mistake. I was afraid of the same thing for Västra Hamnen in Malmö, but they've actually managed to make it very urban. Bars, cafés, restaurants, shops etc etc.

[TORONTOCOPENHAGEN]

Let us hope that the same will be the case for Ørestad.

Another thing that really irritates me is the area behind Bella Center. There's a permanent "show-room", where a developer exhibits pre-fabricated houses. This lot should be developed. It looks like cottage country and destroys the urban feel to Ørestad.

Peter K

[staff]

Is the official goal to make Örestad an "inner city" neighbourhood?

[TORONTOCOPENHAGEN]

I know that the idea is to make it a vibrant neighbourhood. It is too early to judge if it will become a vibrant neighbourhood.

I doubt it, but let us hope so.

Peter K

[cphdude]

Let us hope that the same will be the case for Ørestad.

Another thing that really irritates me is the area behind Bella Center. There's a permanent "show-room", where a developer exhibits pre-fabricated houses. This lot should be developed. It looks like cottage country and destroys the urban feel to Ørestad.

Peter K
Isent that where they wanted to build the multiarena or the Bella Center Hotel? Ithink we just gotta hae some patience...

About the life in the city, i think staff is right. But right now everything is new, including the people, and there is building activety all around...Aain, i think we just gotta hae some patiece. Having said that, i dont think it will ever be like nørrebrø with lively streets and party all the time. The people out there are older, some with kids, and they have paid more for their apartment. They expect another kind of naighbourhood, than the one you want with pubs and bars and things like that...

About the architecture, i agree with you. Most of it is prettyoring and boxie. But i guess that is what happend, when you build that much all at once. Lets hope that when the plce develops, the politiciand will be a bit more laxt about the hight rules, makes it more likely that the developers will take a chance, with some more different buildings. And lets hope that the w/m houses will inspire others...But a lot of it is op to the city. If the rules stay strickt, they will squize the lemon as hard as they can, to make a profit, and that mean boxie, boring building, that are cheap to build and easy to sell...

[staff]

I think the reason why Örestad is not as vibrant (as of yet) is probably because they started building all over a huge area. In Västra Hamnen, they started building, and completed (and people, stores and restaurants moved in) one area at a time. That's probably why the urbanisation and vibrancy rate has developed faster in Malmö's case.

[TORONTOCOPENHAGEN]

But none of the proposed projects indicate that we will have street level shops etc.

And what i the Københavns E buidling all about.

It is a disgrace...

Peter K

[Cafo]

I couldn't agree with you anymore Torontocopenhagen. The same thoughts keep me up at night (almost :-) ). In about a month I'll move out there myself, I hope it's not completely dead. I also hope they won't let it stay with wide open spaces everywhere. It doesn't make you feel social at all. Well in the worst case scenario I'm at least next door to Islands Brygge...

Just one thing. I actually like Fælledhaven quite a bit. The added white colors make it vibrant in a way. Extremely simple (and cheap) but it makes a ton of a difference.

[_tictac_]

Guys, be patient and have confidence.

What did you think it was going to look like? It is a CONSTRUCTION ZONE and will remain one for the coming decades.
Built from ground up, the whole Ørestad city district will need all the support it can possibly get from us.

I understand what you guys are trying to say, but really, settle down.
Talk to me in 23-28 years and we'll see. ;)

[Hviid]

I actually like quite a bit of the projects/buildings in Ørestad.. Fields SC, Ferring Int, VM husene, Ørestad House/Fields Tårn, Park Husene, Tietgen, IT Højskolen, and thats pretty much all i can think of... Yeah some of them are boxy, but still have a nice, half-modern design, like the Park Husene... I dunno... Lets see what happens.. I hope Ørestad will actually look like this in 25 years! That would be awesome (pic found by tictac)
http://www.cgarchitect.com/news/Images/3DA2004/archstill_875_sm.jpg

[TORONTOCOPENHAGEN]

I know that it is a construction-zone.

Nevertheless, I do not see how any of the proposed projects will bring street-level shopping to Ørestad.

Ørestad was unique in the sense that a whole new city was build from scratch. Parkhusene and Københavns E are disgusting and should be demolished.

Why not make every project unique and outstanding so the city becomes an attraction itself?

Peter K

[NorthStar77]

TORONTOCOPENHAGEN, you bring up a topic I've been thinking on when seeing some of that developement. It doesn't look very pedestrian-friendly to me. But I haven't seen it in person, so what do I know? :dunno:

[DenverDane]

I tend to agree with you TORONTOCPH. They had a unique opportunity to create something very special and then they waste it by building boring, commieblocks, which are very uninspiring. I can understand that it's also a price issue, since good architecture costs money, but I can't believe that it's so hard to come up with anything other than boring boxes. There are, of course, also some nice buildings out there, but the general impression I got was not that positive.

Why not have some lovely lowrises along some canals with shops and cafes and some nice scrapers in the background to watch over them? That would have been a place I would have wanted to live in and explore.

[NorthStar77]

Why not have some lovely lowrises along some canals with shops and cafes and some nice scrapers in the background to watch over them? That would have been a place I would have wanted to live in and explore.

I think it is because architects think of that as too simple and populist. Architects have very strict and fascist-like unwritten rules among themselves. Anything popular is regarded as vulgar, and any arcitect that attempts to make such architecture are freezed out of their closed circles. There is one Norwegian architect that has written alot about this, but I can't find it right now.