Copenhagen drives sustainability through architectural democracy and process
The Danish company Møller & Grønborg (M&G) Architects, together with the engineering company COWI, are creating a new plan for Nørrebrogade in Copenhagen. Nørrebrogade is one of the main entrance streets towards the inner city of Copenhagen .
The purpose of the project is to strengthen the infrastructural conditions for busses and bicycles and to create a street environment which accommodates city life instead of just extensive car-use.
In search of the right permenant plan for the future development of Nørrebrogade - an experiment was initialised where the infrastructure was restructured. By painting the paving surfaces and thereby rearranging the street dimensions - different traffic models and hierarchies were tested for cars, busses, bicycles and pedestrians in search of a sustainable and realistic solution.
There have been produced barriers, seating arrangements and bus stops which work as the urban furniture to come. These installations are all temporary and enable a makeshift setup which can be rearranged not only in real-time but in real-life.
The experiment has been an ongoing process involving local inhabitants, shop owners and politicians. The present setup has been extended and the experiment is starting to give back information thereby creating a plan designed by democracy, through process, in order to achieve a sustainable street and city.
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