As mentioned in an earlier blog post, Carlsberg has just closed an international architectural ideas competition for the development of the brewery site in Copenhagen. Last Sunday, I went to see all the proposals exhibited at the Carlsberg site. More than 200 participants from all over the world had submitted their ideas about what to do with the location, after beer production will close down by the end of 2008 and move elsewhere.
National industry heritage
One of the challenges of converting the industrial site into a city district where people live, work and hang out is this: How do you create a new urban space that combines contemporary architecture with the use of existing buildings – some of which date back to the 19th century and have officially been declared “national industry heritage” (nationalt industriminde)?
For example, take a look at the “Dipylon gate” (above) and the brewhouse (on the right).
The proposals were more or less elaborate on how to use existing buildings for new purposes and on what kind of new architecture would fit the site. As it was really more of an ideas competition than an architecture competition, the actual execution of a strategy for the site is of course still an open matter at present.
No monumental architecture and deserted space
The most promising thing about the winner project, from the Danish architects Entasis, is a vision of creating a relatively compact, densely built-on district that people will use – instead of going for monumental architecture and a lot of wide space that looks good on paper, but also risks ending up empty and deserted most of the time.
You can read more about the project at the website voresby.com – but for now I just want to show you some of the other ideas I noticed at the exhibition. Some rather crazy ones among them… Take a look at the pictures below – or see more of them in my set about the brewery site at flickr.
How about an “interfaith worship center”? (maybe in an ideal world, but no, I don’t think it will work!)
How about a wikiarea? (Sounds refreshing, but is there substance to it?)
How about living in a beer tank? (the text admits: “not for everyone”!)
