Sønder Boulevard

Location: Sønder Boulevard, København
Client: Municipality of Copenhagen
Team: Stig L. Andersson, Karen Margrethe Krogh, Filippa Berglund, Martin Birch Pedersen Collaborators: Hansen & Henneberg, Municipality of Copenhagen
Design phase: 2004-2005
Realisering: 2005-2007
Area: 1,5 - 1,6 ha.
Cost of construction: 2,4 mill. €

Read more about the project at (danish) www.vejpark.kk.dk

Se photos from the construction on Vesterbro neighbourhood council' website

Watch the video 'Let's Not Talk About Aesthetics' by SLA and learn more about the project

Sønder Boulevard cuts through the inner city quarter Vesterbro like a fragment of the 1800’s dream of the great metropolis. As the years have passed there is, however, little left of the original visions. For this reason the boulevard is now being revitalised and adjusted to present needs.

Through a comprehensive community participation process the residents of the area have had the opportunity to place their fingerprint on the urban space in the form of basket ball courts, seating areas, walks and small peaceful gardens. SLA have developed a proposal for the framework, and the residents have determined which activities and uses should be incorporated. In this way sporadic interventions arise, that create inclusive spaces for everyone and amenity values for the whole area.

Sønder Boulevard in Copenhagen now directs the traffic in a calmer fashion with reduced speed and widening of the linear recreational space down the center of the boulevard.

A simple arrangement of the space with rows of different tree species along the entire boulevard provides variation, but also allows future uses to be incorporated in the robust plan. The trees are chosen so they flower, spring into leaf and drop their foliage at different times. Thus the boulevard is always experienced in different ways, and draws the beauty of nature right into the inner city.