Vinterbyen - Winter City
/
A new exhibition opened today at the Danish Architecture Centre in Copenhagen that looks at ways to encourage more active use of the streets and squares and public spaces of the city through the dark months of Winter.
Copenhagen has amazing parks and squares that are incredibly well used through the Summer months with both organised and informal events … there are fairs and open-air exhibitions, plenty of sports, play areas for children are amazing and people eat outside as much as possible. As the days get shorter, cafes and restaurants and bars bravely continue for as long as possible to have tables outside by using space heaters and blankets but inevitably there is much less use of outdoor spaces as the days get shorter and the nights get colder and much much longer.
This exhibition looks at several schemes in the city to encourage more people to use outdoor spaces more during the Winter and there are information panels showing programmes in other countries to get people outside more through the Winter. It’s in part a way to encourage people to continue exercising outside in the fresh air (or very fresh air) and in part a way to make full use of the cities amenities but also the exhibition makes the point that some people feel that darker, quieter streets seem disconcerting or even more threatening but with better lighting and more people it is amazing just how quickly that sense lifts.
From January there will be five new projects co-ordinated through Platant with a Winter Sidewalk, Winter Lights, a Winter Park, a Winter Square and a Winter Garden in different parts of the city and in Frederiksberg. There is a booklet with an introduction about these project and a map for people to explore the sites.
With the opening of the exhibition today there was a Solstice Party on the quayside in front of the Architecture Centre organised in partnership with Platant and Kulturhavn 365 with music, braziers, warm wine and pancakes cooked over an open fire bowl. A good start.
Winter City, Danish Architecture Centre, Strandgade, Copenhagen
from 18 December 2015 to the 21 February 2016.