A common sight in Copenhagen in these years is this kind of "trees", construction cranes en masse. Especially around the harbor areas and on the island of Amager you can't help but notice these cranes. A lot of heavy industry has moved out of the harbor and to other places, sometimes closing altogether (in Denmark anyway). Some of these large industrial buildings have been converted to offices or residences and others have been pulled down altogether to make way for new buildings, again mainly residences and office buildings.
On Amager a whole new city, Ørestaden, is being constructed on the old reclaimed seabed of Western Amager. Here where there a few years ago "only" were fields and former army shooting ranges, you can now see a city taking form. In twenty years time there'll be a blooming city here, the politicians and city planners hope.
On Amager a whole new city, Ørestaden, is being constructed on the old reclaimed seabed of Western Amager. Here where there a few years ago "only" were fields and former army shooting ranges, you can now see a city taking form. In twenty years time there'll be a blooming city here, the politicians and city planners hope.
What is lacking is infrastructure. There are hardly any stores, except for a mall, the schools are under construction, no restaurants or cafés nor sports facilities. All of this is planned but it'll take some time before it'll be ready. That does make it a bit hard to get people to move here. More about Ørestaden and the harbor areas in the next couple of weeks.
This new theme is about the modern buildings in Copenhagen. I'll show you rebuilt factories, new residences and infrastructural buildings. Along the way I'll tell you about my, from time to time strong, opinion about some of these buildings and areas. I hope you'll enjoy the coming posts. The first of these buildings will be the one featured on my profile photo.
This new theme is about the modern buildings in Copenhagen. I'll show you rebuilt factories, new residences and infrastructural buildings. Along the way I'll tell you about my, from time to time strong, opinion about some of these buildings and areas. I hope you'll enjoy the coming posts. The first of these buildings will be the one featured on my profile photo.
I love these cranes as a sign of progress, its slow movements and sounds, are perfect for photography. Greetings from MC and thank you so much for your thoughts. Your coming theme sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy son's comment to the crane "looks good!".
ReplyDeleteConstructions are good places to look for photo opportunities. There are many things you don't find other places and the machines are great to use as main parts of the photo.
Ørestaden is not as bad as you write, Christopher. I work not too far away and can see that it's getting there.
PS: the mall is open tomorrow Sunday in case you're inclined. And shopping malls are also good places for alternative compositions...
I like to follow the construction of a building, when possible. Not often here for lack of modern buildings of ony significance, but during holidays this is one of my favourite subjects.
ReplyDelete@Christian: I'll grant you that there's progress at Ørestaden, and there's a lot of nice buildings (and some hideous ones too). There's even some that I would like to live in, if I could afford them.
ReplyDeleteThe traffical infrastructure is very good out there with Metro, busses, nice roads, parking spaces and cycling roads.
What is lacking is scools, day care (there's four now in the whole area), street shopping and places to eat and drink outside the mall. The first public school (there's one small private school) will be ready in 2011, the sports facilities in 2014 and the only shop outside the mall is 1 (one) local supermarket in the central area.
So there are lots of apartments for everyone's taste but a lot of the rest is lacking behind. Remember that planning for this area began in 1993 and building in 2001 (the Ferring Building), so it's not lack of time that have held Copenhagen Municipality back. They have been dragging their heels in order to be sure that it really was needed to build the necessary public facilities there. Furthermore they have neglected to demand that part of the new buildings were reserved for shops and cafes.
To me Ørestaden is a bit sterile at the moment. That will change over time as the greenery will grow and the lacking facilities will be build, I hope.
In the coming weeks starting on Tuesday I'll show some of these new buildings in Ørestaden, some of which I find magnificent.
Everything is always changing...we have the same problem (in a slightly different form) here, where large developers con our city and county officials into letting them build huge developments on horse land but neglect to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place.
ReplyDeleteI'd never thought of a bunch of cranes as a "forest," but the more I thought about what you said, it's very appropos...a forest of steel trees craning to reach the sky!
Nice post!
I think we all love the city or town we live in, and some part in us don't want it to see it changing. I feel it, too, although I'm not gonna stay in my current town next year.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your newest photos.
PS: You're changing your profile photo?
I don't mind change, but I do mind when a chance to do it right from the beginning is being blocked due to lack of knowledge, understanding or funds. And that is what I think is happening at Ørestaden. I like the idea of building a whole new city from the buttom up and I sincerely hope that it'll succeed in this instance.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Asta, the skyline is changing in Copenhagen. Fortunately it has been decided not to build high in the old part of the city, except in Tivoli, so the towers and spires of old will still be seen. The next time you come to Copenhagen I'll show you around in Ørestaden and the other parts of the city, that has changed.
No, Henny, I'm not changing my profile photo; well, not right now anyway, but I'll use it to tell a story about one of the new buildings in Copenhagen. See the story tomorrow :-) Where are you moving to from Hiroshima?
Thanks to all for the nice comments on the cranes BTW. I've seen so many of them around lately that I'm beginning to overlook them; you know, a little like I can't see the forrest for the trees :-)
Love these shots...so very fascinating!!! And what a story to go with them... Orestaden... Fantastic the way Denmark is reclaiming the land!! This will be a very fun theme, I think! But then again, I love all your posts...each one always seems to me to be the best yet!!!! Your blog is simply a favorite of mine!!! Cheers!!! Janine
ReplyDeleteMe thinks, this kind of ‘new forest’ is a blight on our modern age in the West. Even here in Manchester the landscape is permanently marked with these towering and austere looking cranes... worse still is that the economic slow/meltdown means that they’ll be frozen features on the horizon for some time to come. Indeed, they encapsulate so much ‘hope, vitality and vision of the future (in terms of regeneration and development) but the reality is that they are a stalemate of an eyesore (if that makes sense!)
ReplyDelete