My architecture tour destination:Copenhagen

If I were to rate the most photogenic building it would be this:

Tietgenkollegiet,  Student accommodation at Universitetet

A circular building, with a centralised garden square in the centre and each storeys jutting in and out like LEGO boxes.

It’s beautiful to capture,

 

whether it’s closed up;

 

from far;

 

inside;

 

or out.

Architecture walks are made extremely convenient in copenhagen. With websites like http://www.cphx.dk and even the main tourist website, http://www.visitdenmark.com/uk/en-gb/menu/turist/inspiration/detkulturelledanmark/arkitektur/architecture.htm. Of course, it would be great help if one could understand Danish, with their more extensive books and sites in their language.

These websites provide convenient instructions and even architectural ‘podwalks’ around the city. SO all you have to do, is download, print a map and your good to go.

 

Information Boards

More convenient is the fact that new architecture are just lines a long the metro stations. And description of these buildings, architects etc. are even ‘advertised’ at the station itself. Talk about media coverage.

Kongens Nytorv (pronounced as Kon’s Nov-something to that effect)Metro Station, it means King’s New Square

Not to forget, The Scandinavians are extremely proud of their designs with architects like Jørn Utzon(The Sydney Opera), von Sprechelsen, La Grande Arche at La Defence in Paris and the very popular Henning Larsen all hailing from Denmark(The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh).

I do not intend anyway to describe the buildings that I have saw. Maybe I lack the guts to, or maybe I’m just too lazy. Guess mostly it’s because I forgot even how to pronounce their names and my architecture books from Denmark are still somewhere in the Pacific Ocean making its way to me. But it certainsly has made a big impact top me and I wish to document them before I I forget how they even look like.

This is the ‘Walk along Metro’ or rather for me: the ride on Metro, weather was so cold+rain prevents me from going up close to the building.

The very cool VM Husen (VM housing) by Plot. Photos from: http://www.pbase.com/traianc/vm, for more please visit the website.

 

Bella Centre

Field’s Shopping mall; Will you just look at those glass columns?

Description on Fields

An apartment right next to Tietgenkollegiet

Of course I must not leave out the architecture icons of Copenhagen:

Operaen (The Royal Opera House) by Henning Larsen Architects

The Operaen from oposite the Canal

The Playhouse/Royal Theatre by Lundgaard & Tranberg

Royal Library, more commonly known as the Black Diamond: The older building is encased inside the black granites, thus giving its name. The interior was cery dynamic as old and new coexist inside the ‘diamond’.

Directly opposite is the Nordea Bank by Henning Larsens Architects. More would be described in other post ;), as I’m getting lazy.

The Dansk Jødisk Museum(The Danish Jewish Museum) exterior

The interior of the museum was redeisgn to reflect the dynamism of the Jewish life for 400 years in Denmark. Interestingly, the way the modern interior, with strips of lights, juxtaposed against the arched ceilings and walls was fascinating to the amatuer eyes of mine. I think I spent more time examining how the new installations were constructed without causing damage to the old walls and trying hard to figure out the complicated planning of the exhibition, rather than appreciating the Jewish inheritence.

Interior view of exhibition space. Photo from:http://www.jewmus.dk/index.asp

Exhibition design: Kvorning design & communication

The Danish Architecture Centre

This building sits right next to it, which I can’s remember its name as I just happen to chance upon it. It was a timber structure ‘inner box’ enveloped by a glass exterior, connected between two existing buildings. I remember entering it asking to go in and have a look, and found out that many architects’ offices are located in it but I was declined. I thought of begging them, claiming that I’m a poor archi student flew all the way from Aus to have a glimpse of it(trust me, sometimes it works); but the high-powered, very busy architects scared me away.Ha! Reminder to oneself: Never be mean to archi students when working. You were once one of them.  

But it figures, since we’re considered to be the know-nothing-in-the-industry-at-all brats, inspiring to be them-the great-O-Ones. Oh, well.

I had absolute fun just stumbling upon new, old, ancient architecture. Being one part of their urban fabric and trying to figure my way around their maps, my very broken Danish and awful winter weather… Guess that’s one of the greatest advantage being an archi student: the ability to appreciate the built environment and what makes up of it, be it the past, current or future trends, culture and social state.

 

Sometimes, it’s just good enough to know that the world out there is so big, that our worries are hardly significant at all. We try to make something big, beautiful, memorable and of course, important: to us and we hope others as well. But it will soon become just part of the place, part of the culture, or just part of everyday things. So, try not to worry as much, and enjoy that every present moment we are blessed with. Good, Bad, Ups and Downs, it’s all about the journey and, hardly the destination. Because if your not careful, that very precious monumental, iconic moment of life, might just slip and go by.