Known for its love of innovation and creativity when it comes to its outdoor parks, Denmark has unveiled a plan for its newest urban space. Copenhagen Islands is the joint project of Danish studio Fokstrot and Australia’s Marshall Blecher, and will consist of a “parkipelago” of floating islands located around unused corners of the city harbor. The project aims to support and increase awareness of the local marine life, improving the harbor environment. The worldwide trend of rising sea levels is one of the most pressing issues for the Danish capital and the project aims to highlight how this directly challenges the region.
Photo: Fokstrot/Marshall Blecher
Denmark Unveils Plan for a New Floating Park in Copenhagen
Copenhagen Islands launched in 2018 when the first man-made prototype island known as CPH-Ø1 was released in the harbor. At 215 square feet, at the center of the timber platform is a linden tree which serves as a frame adding physical stability. The design team also sees the use of the tree as a metaphor for “wisdom and an earthbound vitality.” There are plans to build three more prototype islands with an expected release of spring 2021. All islands will be constructed exclusively from recycled materials and hand-crafted following traditional Danish boat-building techniques.
Photo: Fokstrot/Marshall Blecher
The amenities will include a floating sauna, a sail-in cafe, and a grass-covered garden that will serve as a place for rest not just for the people of Copenhagen but also for the local bird population. Locals will be able to swim, relax, and even fish on the floating islands, which will be accessible by kayak and personal boats — a common means of transportation in the city. All of the islands will be mobile, allowing them to be moved around different spots of the harbor in the summer months. In the winter, the islands will be joined to form a “supercontinent” that will provide an outdoor space for festivals and activities.
Photo: Fokstrot/Marshall Blecher
According to the official website, the islands will “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 the old industrial harbor sides.” 