Latest update 12.04.2011
Have public spaces become private?
At the first ‘Salon’ of the year at GL STRAND Stig L. Andersson will be debating with ph.d. scholar Mette Mechlenborg and the artists behind "VERANDA":
“This Salon will debate what has happened to our conception of the role of public spaces? Is it more important, nowadays, to be able to get a cup of coffee, than to feel the wind and look at the sky? Is it our homes that have bled into our public spaces or vice versa: Have public spaces flown into our homes as a showroom for our identity?”
Thursday the 10th of January, 5.30 PM. In Danish.
SLA wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year
The entire SLA team wishes our collaborators a merry Christmas and a happy new year. In 2007 we have participated in competitions home and abroad, taken part in debates and exhibitions and designed new, surprising urban spaces.
We appreciate your collaboration, and we are looking forward to a challenging and active 2008!
The images on the right hand are from Danish TV2 News' presentation of SLA's Metropole Park.
SLA on the front page
Danish newspaper Weekend-avisen writes about SLA's Metropole Park on Friday 23rd November.
In the article SLA's creative director, Stig L. Andersson, states, "Copenhagen should of course be one of the world's leading sustainable cities. And we propose how to do it. The Metropole Park is our contribution to the debate."
Read the article here (Danish only)
Read more about the Metropole Park (Danish only)
New competition in Venice
SLA has been qualified for a big international competition in Venice in collaboration with Danish office Henning Larsen Architects and Italian office Autonome Forme.
The competition is for a new parking house with a roof top urban space at the entrance to Venice's historical centre.
To create a new urban space in the lagoon city is in itself a historical event. It has been 400 years since a new urban space was last created in Venica.
Metropole Park in Børsen
Danish newspaper Børsen brings article on SLA’s Metropolis Park
On Thursday 15th November Danish newspaper Børsen published an article on SLA’s bold proposal of transforming Copenhagen’s Metropole Zone into a green and climate-friendly park under the headline “ Tivoli suggested moved to Ørestaden”.
In the article Stig L. Andersson, creative director of SLA, states that, “It’s like killing two birds with one stone. Tivoli will generate new life in Ørestad, which will receive a world famous tourist attraction. At the same time space will be cleared for an entirely new and lively park in Copenhagen.”
SLAM!
New book gives a 300 pages overwhelming up-to-the-minute account on the universe of SLA.
SLAM! presents 36 ground-breaking projects ranging from 2001 to 2007 through plans, diagrams, photographs and explanatory texts. Buy it at Danish Architecture Centre.
Metropolis Park revealed
SLA revealed the new project Metropolis Park at Danish Architecture Centre on Friday November 9th.
The debate on Copenhagen’s future is hot. High rises, urban life, metropolis zoning and cheap housing, traffic and road pricing, climate and bikers are being discussed more and more. Now SLA joins the debate. Proposing to move Tivoli to Ørestaden and transforming Copenhagen’s centre into a giant METROPOLE PARK.
AOK Nomination
As one of five projects Solbjerg Square has been nominated by AOK for The City's Best Playground.
The nominators state:
Solbjerg Square is perfect for both adventures and relaxation,
whether you come to explore the exciting universe of sound and lightning or to lye in the soft grass and drink cold beers in the sun.
Read more about Solbjerg Square and Frederiksberg New Squares
Competition in Aarøsund
SLA has been invited to participate in a competition to develop the tourist values in Aarøsund on the east coast of Jutland.
The purpose of the competition is to develop Aarøsund to an international lighthouse for year round tourism. The cultural inheritance is the basis for the development of the area, and it should build upon the existing environments and resources.
Award nomination
As one of three projects Frederiksberg's new urban centre has been nominated for the Danish Urban Planning Award 2007. SLA's five new urban spaces are an important part of this regeneration.
The nominators state: "The new urban spaces are used in entirely new ways and the squares along with the new biking route tie together the city in a poetic way."
Read more about the Urban Planning Award 2007 (in Danish only)
Prequalification
SLA has been selected to participate in the competition about renewing Købmagergade, Hauser Square and Kultorvet in Copenhagen with 2+1, Lemming & Eriksson and Bruce Mau Design.
The purpose of the competition is to renew and renovate the popular and worn shoppingstreet Købmagergade. And to develop Hausner Square and Kultorvet into attractive urban spaces for the many users in the area.
SLA in Landscape
Professor Thorbjörn Andersson, SLU Ultuna, has written an article about the use of pictures in landscape architecture.
In the article he uses eksamples from Community Park North-West and Stige Island and empathises SLA’s collaces for their artistic qualities: “The pictures are easy because they are colorfull, captivationg, beautiful and sometimes absurd in a funny way. They are difficult because we can’t understand what kind of environment we are going to get and how it’s organised. But the pictures convey a mood, a feeling of what we can experience there. Here is something for everybody, it’s like a bag of candy.”
Podwalk about Frederiksberg new squares
Copenhagen X and Danish Architecture Centre have published 6 podwalks as part of the exhibition “Copenhagen Changing”. The podwalks tell the stories behind new architecture and urban development in the city.
Frederiksberg New Squares urban spaces are featured in a chapter of the podwalk along the Metro. Here the CEO of Danish Architecture Centre Kent Martinussen takes you on a guided tour to some of the finest examples of new, Danish architecture in Copenhagen, all situated close to a Metro-station.
Interview with Stig L. Andersson
The Danish newspaper Politiken published an interview with Stig L. Andersson about Sønder Boulevard and his visions for this new urban space on Tuesday August 30th.
In the interview he emphasizes the importance of knowing who you create urban spaces for: 'You need to be aware of who the users are, when you design urban spaces. Is it a space for everybody or is it a completely private space? In too many public spaces it hasn’t been considered who and what, they are meant for, and that way they end up being for nobody.'
New project in Dublin
SLA has designed the urban spaces and landscapes for the new development at the Jurys Berkeley Court site in Dublin, Ireland.
The project is situated on a 28.000 sqm site in Ballsbridge - a residential area with many cultural amenities, embassies, offices and shops.
Increasing Asian interest
SLAs projects attract increasing interest in Asia. Recently, A Plot/Megaron and Länsisatama Park have been published in China and Korea.
SLAs A Plot/Megaron in published in the latest issue of Chinese magazine ‘Landscape Design – Landscape Architect’, vol. 4. The project is created for the Assistens Cemetery in the Nørrebro District in Copenhagen in collaboration with sculptor Morten Stræde.
In Korea SLAs project for the Länsisatama Park in Helsinki is published in ‘Landscape World’ magazine, vol. 5. This urban park was inspired by Finnish nature with room for activities, self-organised sports and relaxation.
Read more about A Plot /Megaron and Länsisatama Park
Urban Garden in new book
SLA's urban garden in Nørresundby is published in the new book 'Landscape Architecture - Water Features' edited by Alejandro Bahamón.
The book presents a range of international landscape projects in which water is incorporated as a central feature in public areas. It is published by LOFT Publications and Rockport Publishers.
Photo competition at SLA
In June 2007 SLA held a photo competition for the employees.
The purpose of the competition was to gain a fresh look on SLA’s projects and focus on the way we regard the projects.
The employees were encouraged to take pictures of SLA’s projects. It was possible to compete in three categories: People, unity and details.
The judges, creative director Stig L. Andersson and graphic designer Line Kurtzweil from Kontrapunkt, named the winning picture and three honourable mentions Friday the 29 th of June.
Se the awarded photos and read the judges deliberations here.
Community Park workshop
This June SLA, 2+1 and the citizens participated in a workshop on the Community Park North-West.
The participants among other things discussed the future distribution of functions and recreational programmes in the park.
1st prize in Trondheim
SLA has in collaboration with Norwegian architects Pir II won the 1st prize in the international competition for a new bridge and two urban spaces between Trondheim centre and harbour front.
The bridge will be a junction and a short cut between Trondheim Main Station and the harbour front. With this new project Trondheims proximity to the sea will be empathized. The presence and attraction of the fjord will be felt in the centre of the town. Water is a central element in the new urban spaces. The falling and rising tide as inspiration the rhythm of the sea is portrayed in different ways in the two new urban spaces.
Opening on Langagergård
Thursday June 14th the Municipalty of Greve held an opening for the first part of the stream that weaves itself through the landscape of Langagergård. The opening marks the conclusion of construction on the first stage of the landscape. Sale of residences in the two of the three residential islands that are part of the first stage is on the way.
Can you do something like this?
Maxwell, Mental Ray, Maya, Sketch-Up, PS, MAX, Viz, IS, Rhino or Flash, please?
If you have got 3D or visuali-sation skills, then you are just the one we are looking for. SLA seeks both competent peolpe to work as study freelancers and committed interns for available internships.
Interested in joining the SLA team? Then contact Thomas Kock at tko@sla.dk /+4533911316
SLA in new book
Stig L. Andersson has contributed to the anthology Landscape + 100 words to inhabit it with the articles ‘Beauty’, ‘Ethics’ and ‘Shape’.
The editor, Daniela Colafranceschi, states: "Landscape + 100 words to inhabit it is a title that intends to present a condition of contemporary landscape by measuring it through a direct and immediate form: terms, definitions, ideas, micro-stories, short texts, notes."
Purchase in Carlsberg competition
The competition on the development of the Carlsberg ground in Copenhagen has led to a purchase of SLA’s entry.
The entry suggests that the roofs be removed from some of the large production halls, whose interiors are converted into a new type of urban space.
The Jury Report states that, "Both spatially and archi-tecturally, this strategy is innovative and extremely realistic, also from a financial point of view and in the light of its desire to make Carlsberg a main destination in Copenhagen."
Opening of Sdr. Boulevard
The renovation of Sdr. Boulevard is almost finished and the opening will be celebrated Saturday May 12th at 12AM to 5PM. The varied activities people are invited to participate in at the opening party emphasize the many new possibilities of Sdr. Boulevard and the rich cultural life of the neighbourhood. Mayor of Technical and Environmental matters Klaus Bondam and Stig L. Andersson will address the public, and it will be possible to attend a guided tour of where builder and architect will talk about the renovation.
Read more about the renovation of Sdr. Boulevard
Read more about the opening party at the website of Road & Park
What is landscape architecture?
Versailles national school of landscape architecture (ENSP) is visited by Stig L. Andersson on Friday the 27th of April. He gives the lecture “What is landscape architecture?”. During the lecture he presents SLA’s projects Urban Garden in Nørresundby, Bjørvika 7 new Urban Spaces and Frederiksberg New Squares.
The picture to the right shows Frederiksberg New Squares.
SLA in Dagbladet Holstebro - Stuer
Dagbladet Holstebro – Struer published an article about SLA’s project proposal to a future residential area in Holstebro on the 17th of March.
The judges describes SLA’s proposal as visionary and characteristic. SLA suggests that the new housing area is placed around an attractive green area. The green area contains a number of miniature landscapes as a deer park, orchard, moor, common and a forest of reeds.
Read more about the project proposal to the residential area in Holstebro
SLA celebrates Stig L. Andersson
SLA ’s founder and creative director Stig L. Andersson turned 50 Friday the 30th of March. SLA celebrated the occasion with a reception for collaborators and friends. Chairman of the Board Flemming Andersen and partner Hanne Bruhn Møller held speeches and the employees sang a song written for the occasion.
Organizational challenges for Danish architectural offices
Administrating director Lenne Dammand Lund will give a lecture on ‘Organizational challenges for Danish architectural offices’ at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Tuesday the 27 th of March 2007 at 2 to 3 PM .
The lecture is part of a course of lectures on ‘Organizational theory and types of organizations’. The purpose of the course is to explore the concept of organization as it is treated in theories on creative processes, management and organization. It will also address how value based organization is used in the public and private sector and in the organization of architectural offices.
Read more about the course at the website of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts
Construction for SEB has begun
Construction of the new Danish headquarters for SEB Bank and Pension along the Copenhagen harbour front has begun. SLA has designed a green and vigorous urban space that will create a connection between the new buildings and the surroundings. The urban space is open to the public, inspired by the Swedish nature it will surprise and intrigue the visitors.
Sounds in Urban Spaces
Friday, March 9th, Stig L. Andersson gives a lecture under the headline "Sounds in Urban Spaces" at the seminar SoundSpace arranged by the Royal Danish Academy, School of Architecture, in Copenhagen
SLA has among other projects worked with sound as an integrated part of the urban space at Frederiksberg New Urban Spaces. Here speakers placed in wells in the pavement plays the sounds of birds singing, of fishing cutters and of jungle wildlife.
SLA’s Martin Søberg gives a lecture in Norway
Art historian Martin Søberg gives a lecture at Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
Among other things the lecture is about SLA’s work methods and takes place on the 8th of March. Martin gives examples from competitions and constructed SLA projects.
The photograph on the right shows SLA’s project at Trekroner School.
New articles
SLAs 1st prize winning project for the Quarter Park North-West in Copenhagen is published in Danish architectural magazine Arkitekten vol. 2, 2007. Fantasy and sensuous experiences are added to the park with colourful trees as a main attraction.
The February issue of German magazine Garten+Landschaft features an article on the Länsisatama Park competition in Helsinki. SLA's 2nd prize winning project transforms the park into a landscape of undulating hills, sport areas and intimate areas for relaxation and play.
SLA in Børsen
On the 8th of February the danish newspaper Børsen brings an interview with Stig L. Andersson and Lene Dammand Lund about how green urban spaces cause value increment in residential areas.
The falling price level on residential areas makes SLA’s work of making attractive urban spaces important for the building industry. It is important to consider how to make urban spaces when planning new residential areas. In that way you give citizens attractive environments and economic proceeds for the investors.
The article mentions SLA’s project Valby Sports Park as an example of how urban spaces can have a positive affect on the citizens’ life quality, give a residential area a boost and at the same time raise the prize level.
Read more about Valby Sports Park
Landscape at Trondheim’s harbour front
SLA has participated in the competition for a new congress hotel and aquarium at Brattøra in Trondheim in collaboration with Schmidt Hammer Lassen.
In the project a light and easily accessible urban landscape, reflecting the proximity of the sea has been added to Brattøra. At the same time the landscape encourages activities and sensuous experiences. Crystalline elements provide space for different activities in connection to the sea and the city.
The Assessment Committee states: “It strives for a landscape architecture of darkness/light, humidity and reflections that really tries to take the place seriously.”
Other Norwegian SLA projects:
Mixed Media
On Thursday January 18th Stig L. Andersson gave his inaugural lecture at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Life Sciences.
The title of the lecture was ‘Mixed Media – asphalt, people, economy, splash, weather’ and it included a presentation of a selection of Andersson’s project, as well as a personal account on the methods and possibility of landscape architecture. Andersson also talked about the potentials of landscape architecture in terms of urban planning and design.
Subsequently a reception was hosted by SLA and the Department of Forest and Landscape.
SLA proposes new urban roofscape for ARoS
SLA has participated in the competition for an urban roofscape for ARoS – Aarhus Museum of Art – with the project ‘Elisio’. The project was made in collaboration with sculptor Morten Stræde, senior lecturer Mette Sandbye and Arup Engineers.
The Assessment Committee states that the proposal “creates a sculptural, poetic expression through a large mirror bowl anchored in the structure and conceptual basis of the building.”
“The Elisio project is distinguished by taking the ARoS concept as its basis. The ascent from the underground rooms through the spiral stairs culminates in this proposal in an unusually experience-intense spatiality: the concave mirror room facing the sky.”
Stig L. Andersson gives inaugural lecture
Stig L. Andersson gives his inaugural lecture as Adjunct Professor in landscape architecture and urban design at Center for Forest and Landscape, Copenhagen University . The subject for the lecture is Mixed Media (concrete, people, economy, splash, weather).
The lecture will be held Thursday the 18 th January at 2 PM in lecture hall 1-01, Bülowsvej 17, Frederiksberg .
Download the program here
Articles about SLA
SLA is featured in the latest editions of TOPOS and Garten + Landschaft.
Garten + Landschaft 01/2007 contains a long article on Frederiksberg New Squares titled ‘Starke Bilder in Frederiksberg ’. And Topos 51/2006 on Architecture and Landscape describes SLA ’s participation in the ‘Urban Reports’ seminar in Zürich.
Read the article on Frederiksberg New Squares here
Prequalification in Malmö
SLA has been selected to participate in the competition Hyllie Station Square in Malmö, Sweden.
With a central position in the new urban district Hyllievång to the south of Malmö, the Hyllie Station Square will tie together Hyllie railway station with a shopping centre and the new Malmö Arena. The square will become a new centre for the citizens of Malmö and the region.
Read more
