Copenhagen Islands

The prototype island called CPH-Ø1 is an experimental public space in response to the urban issues in both local and global scales. The mobile island will be joined by others in the future, forming a “parkipelago” for recreational activities in Copenhagen.

CPH-Ø1 is a 20-square-meter handmade wooden platform with a linden tree at its centre. It is a simple and iconic metaphor for an uninhabited island and represents the first taste of a completely new type of public space coming to Copenhagen. Moveable, floating, public spaces free for people to explore and conquer.

The project is aiming to introduce a completely new type of public park - the “parkipelago” that focuses on the place and function of public spaces in the city, both in a local context where rapid urban development along the harbor side threatens the recreational spaces, but also in a global context where rising sea levels creates new challenges for urban environments.

The islands will be dispatched on suitable locations around the inner harbor but will also find their way to more forgotten and underused corners of the harbor, catalyzing life and activity. Hopefully giving back a little bit of space for whimsey and wonder to old industrial harbor sides.

CPH-Ø1 will be joined by CPH-Ø2, Ø3 and many more. They will include some simple swimming platforms but also a floating sauna island, floating gardens, floating mussel farms and a floating sail-in café, all free to be explored by the increasing number of kayakers, sailors and fishermen in the harbour. During winter and for special events or festivals, the islands can be brought together, creating a cluster more easily accessed from the harbour side. The island will move around the harbour over the next year, free for anyone to use for bbq’ing, camping and swimming. It will also host small events at different locations.

CPHØ1 was constructed by hand in the boat building yards in the south habor of Copenhagen using traditional wooden boat building techniques. It was made entirely from sustainably and locally sourced materials.

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