Classical Parks vs. Contemporary Parks

For today's class, we had the opportunity to explore several urban parks within the city of Copenhagen, including two contemporary parks that contrasted all of the greenspaces that we had seen up to this point. In comparing the contemporary parks to the historic classical ones, there were several similarities and differences that became apparent.

The third park which we visited during our self-exploration, was Superkilen, a contemporary space consisting of three different areas: The Red Square, The Black Market, and The Green Park. The composition and design of these three areas compared to previous greenspaces such as Orstedsparken, was the major difference that we noticed upon our arrival. Unlike the classical makeup of Orstedsparken, which consisted of lush greenery, water, and garden fixtures, Superkilen was ultramodern, and was characterized by red rubber flooring, dark concrete, and interactive features. Although the last section of Superkilen contained grass and a few trees, the overall composition of the park remained very much contemporary. The lack of trees and greenery also made the space feel very open and exposed to the city around it, compared to other classical parks that made you feel like you were outside of the city and surrounded by nature. I found the contemporary parks to be more comparable to art, acting more as functional pieces architecture, rather than natural spaces.

However, a similarity that I found between contemporary and classically designed parks, was their functionality and purpose. Although aesthetically different, both types of parks are designed to be functional spaces for people to use every single day. Each space is situated in a places where people have easy access to them within the city, providing users with a place to socialize and meet, enjoy physical activity by using either trails or exercise equipment, and simply escape the streets of the city. On the outside, both contemporary and classical parks seem very different, but when you look at their overall purpose, both spaces are meant to improve the overall quality of life of the city's inhabitants, and help them to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Kolonihave Juxtaposition

Today we explored several suburban gardens located outside of the city of Copenhagen. These suburban greenspaces were multi purposed, acting as a means of promoting personal individuality, while at the same time, placing membership into socio-cultural co-operative. In terms of promoting individuality, suburban gardens allow individuals to express their personality, through the layout and design of their landscapes. They have the freedom to be creative through the use of their garden space, in a setting that is extremely intimate and detached. As seen during our visit to the garden owned by the Royal Danish Horticulture Society, the space was very private and cut off from the neighboring properties by a hedge that surrounded the fence line.

From our tour through Fredensborg and Naerur, we were able to experience greenspaces that promoted a sense of community, while remaining private spaces for the residents. In Fredensborg, the layout and architecture designed by Jorn Utzon, a famed Danish architect most known for The Sydney Opera House, allowed for residents to feel that they owned their own personal space, while remaining in a social community setting. Each house was designed with a courtyard where each resident is given creative freedom to do whatever they pleased with the space. This is important, as the structure of the buildings and interior architecture are not permitted to be altered in any way. Erik, a retired engineer who spent 40 years of his career abroad, explained to us that each resident must eat 12 meals a month in the communal dining hall. This requirement promotes the integration of the individuals, while establishing a strong community.

In Naerur we were introduced to Sonja, the daughter of landscape architect C Th Sorenson. This unique space was designed to instill as sense of collectiveness through the similar plots of land that were separated by hedges. Although they acted as private gardens, neighbors would still be able to catch glimpses of other peoples gardens, and share their creative space with others. The open nature of the architecture contrasted with the privacy of the Royal Danish Horticulture Society's Kolonihave we visited in Fredriksberg.

Public and Private Greenspace in Copenhagen

Based on our experiences in Copenhagen up to this point, the public and private greenspaces in the city have several differences when it comes to their identities. In terms of their accessibility, public greenspaces are readily available to all members of the public, and can be utilized in a variety of ways depending on the need.

Public greenspaces provide many different ecological, economic, and social functions for a city and its inhabitants. Some of these functions include providing natural habitats for wildlife, facilitating social interactions in a peaceful setting, and promoting a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. These public greenspaces also provide an interactive educational opportunity, as seen by a number of school groups touring through various parks. However, a negative aspect to having these public greenspaces so readily available to the public, is that these spaces become subject to littering and vandalism by people who may not respect a space that is shared and utilized by others. Although these greenspaces are often maintained and managed, there will always be the chance that somebody will abuse them.

Private greenspaces provide similar functions to that of public ones, except they are privately owned properties that are only accessible by the people that own them. Private greenspaces serve as peaceful escape from the rigor of every day life, and comparable to public greenspaces, act as a psychological escape. However, unlike public spaces, private greenspaces may be manipulated and changed by the owner, in order to make them more personalized and unique. As seen by the small garden that we visited today in Frederiksberg, private greenspaces can be used to create beautiful retreats that can be accessed within the city, while providing a space that can host intimate gatherings with friends and family. It is for this very reason, that these private plots of land have become so desirable and sought after by the people of Copenhagen.

Urban Greenspaces

The rise of urban greenspaces in Europe, was the result of the development of major cities during the industrial revolution. This period of time was marked by large scale urbanization and industrialization in major cities. Living conditions in these cities were often unhealthy due to the mass amounts of pollution that was produced by factories and the burning fuels. It was at this point in time, that a handful of philanthropists started to realize the need for clean and livable spaces within these cities. A movement known as the Urban Parks Movement began, with the goal of improving the quality of life for those that lived in industrialized cities. By constructing urban greenspaces with the money provided by the philanthropists, their goal would be achieved. Not long after, the first urban greenspace was constructed in England, in 1840.

In modern day Europe, public greenspaces are commonly found throughout cities, and serve a variety of functions in the day to day lives of people. Some of these functions include aspects such as, providing social spaces for people to interact, promoting physical activity and healthy behavior, providing a place for people to escape the demands of the city, and also helping to combat pollution and carbon emissions. Many urban public parks in today's world, facilitate healthy behavior  with a variety of amenities such as jogging paths for people to exercise, as well as playgrounds and sport fields for children to play on. By promoting a healthy lifestyle, cities can help improve the overall health of its population, providing serene and stress stress free environments for everybody.

Copenhagen is a city that prides itself on being one of the greenest cities in the world. With numerous parks and urban greenspaces across the city, there are a variety of possibilities for its inhabitants. From using these serene and peaceful spaces as social settings or places for physical activity, to utilizing them for educational purposes, the people of Copenhagen are nothing short of options and possibilities.

Striving to be the first carbon neutral city in the world by 2025, Copenhagen has made ambitious moves in implementing urban greenspace and sustainable practices into all aspects of city life.

Denmark and The Land

On Friday, our class travelled to Lejre, a Danish greenspace located an hour outside of the city of Copenhagen. Upon arrival, there were noticeable changes in the geography that differed from what I had seen in Denmark up to this point. The landscape consisted of rolling green hills surrounded by farmland and accentuated by bright yellow canola fields. This landscape, along with the rest of Denmark, was formed over thousands of years by multiple climate changes that influenced the flora and fauna, as well as the natural processes of erosion. In particular, glaciers played a major role in shaping Denmark's geography. The glaciers carved out the landscape as they receded over the land, creating craters which would later become fresh bodies of water. 

It is with this landscape that the Danish people would form a significant relationship. For thousands of years, people have relied heavily on the natural resources provided by the land in order to survive. Dating back to the times of nomadic hunter-gatherers, who lived off of reindeer and foraged materials,to the times of the iron age, a central resource that has always persisted, are the forests. Historically, wood has been an essential resource from which Denmark has built its civilization. As time passed and Denmark further developed, the demand for wood continued to increase due to the ongoing desire to expand and build. With the growing need to utilize the resource of wood, massive deforestation occurred, leaving barren stretches across the Danish landscape. Interestingly enough, the Danes quickly realized that their consumption of wood was not sustainable, as they risked losing their forests, an integral part of their culture. The fact that the Danes were able to recognize their inadvertence and put a stop to the deforestation before it was too late, was impressive to me, given that they were so reliant on this resource, and unlike modern society, were able to manage their resources responsibly. 

Reflecting on the history of Denmark, it is clear that the landscape has been a vital resource to its inhabitants. In the early years, the land shaped and determined the lives of those who lived on it. However, as time passed, the resources changed with the climate and so did the techniques used to live on it. Agriculture became a central focus in people's lives, and instead of living with the land, people attempted to shape it. This was a major transition that was the beginning of an era which has become dependent on large scale production and distribution.