SLUSEHOLMEN - COPENHAGEN DENMARK

One of a number of Copenhagen's new developments, Sluseholmen's identity lies in a solid concept overlaid with visual diversity. Sited on a converted car manufacturing facility, new canals carve eight new islands out of this once industrial site. Pedestrian bridges, shared roadways and waterfront boardwalks stitch 11 new building complexes together. Units have views and direct connections to lush courtyards, newly developed waterfront docklands and salt water canals. 

Master planners Arkitema and the Dutch firm Soeters Van Eldonk Ponec architecten admit freely that Venice, Amsterdam and Copenhagen's own Christianshavn were sources of inspiration for the project concept. It is successful in creating a quiet residential waterfront environment. To create diversity within the development the client hired more than 20 separate firms to design the residential and commercial buildings. Constructed between 2005 and 2009, the 1,000 unit development embraces the water as if the canals had always been there. 

The 50,000 m2 of retail and commercial space is located along Sluseholmen, the primary traffic artery through the site. 

Building complexes are 4 and 5 floors of residential units over one level of parking. 

Illuminated bollards, paving patterns and changes in material identify the zones of usage for vehicles and pedestrians.

Cars share the tree-lined access roads with bikes and pedestrians. 

My trusty steed navigated the wood bridges, canals roadways and boardwalk.

Lower level canal-side units have direct access to the water with clever floating docks and ladders - inflatable boats, kayaks and duck ramps abound.

The courtyard is a planted terrace over the parking level with ramp access

Ramp to garage and stairs to the courtyard. Each complex has a second ramp entrance up to the courtyard for bike and disabled access.

As of January 2011, a new bridge connects Sluseholmen to the Teglholmen development uniting some 3,500 residents and providing a more direct connection to Copenhagen city center. Photo from Politiken newspaper.

PROJECT FACTS (FROM ARKITEMA)
http://www.arkitema.com/Boliger+Living/Privat+boligbyggeri/Sluseholmen.aspx

Address: Scope: Construction: Clients:  Architects: - Master plan: - Residential and commercial buildings: Landscape: Engineers: Contractors:

Sydhavnen, Copenhagen, Denmark Residential: 85,000 m², Commercial: 50,000 m² – total 135,000 m² 2005-2009 Copenhagen Malmö Port, Copenhagen Municipality, JM Danmark A/S, Sjælsø Gruppen A/S, Nordicom Arkitema and Sjoerd Soeters Arkitema and other Danish architectural firms Arkitema NIRAS A/S (site development) and COWI A/S (residential islands) Skanska A/S, KPC-Byg A/S, Myhlenberg A/S, M.T. Højgaard A/S and Pihl A/S

Link to Danish Architecture Center page about the project
http://www.cphx.dk/index.php?id=29176#/29176/
Link to master planning firm's web site and description. 
http://www.soetersvaneldonk.nl/eng/p-kopenhagen.html