Copenhagen // Superkilen - Nørrebro // Urban Project and What We Forget

"Triton: I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young lady.
Ariel: Daddy, I'm sorry, I just forgot, I." - from the Little Mermaid - Walt Disney

Last December I was in a surprising beautiful København and thanks to Claudia, my sister, I discovered a very particular area, called Superkilen, a urban open space in Nørrebro located in the Quarter of Mimersgade.

Superkilen is a half a mile long urban space in one of the most ethnically diverse and socially challenged neighborhoods in Denmark.

This project was born from the collaboration between BIG, Topotek1 + Superflex, which represents a fusion of architecture, landscape design and art.




It's a urban park divided in three main sections:

- The Red Square
+ The Black Market
- The Green Park

It looks like a giant exhibition filled with objects that come from all over the world.

A sort of an open-air museum that reflects the true nature of the neighborhood.

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower." - The Complete Fairy Tales - H.C. Andersen

3 ZONES - 3 COLOURS

Red Square // Photograph: Nanna Flachs

The red square is conceived as an urban extension of the sporting and cultural offerings of Nørrebrohall. It's a massive outdoor gym, exactly like Muscle Beach in L.A., where residents can meet for physical activity and games.

Black Square // Photograph: Val (that's me LoL)

The black square is a kind of urban living room. Mimers Plads is the heart of Superkilen and in just a glance it sums up 4 or more Countries (I've recognized just 4 of them, but as you can see from link to the document I posted below, it's plenty of objects coming from everywhere).




A suggestive Moroccan fountain and a Turkish bench under the Japanese cherry-trees is where usually the locals meet around.

Turkish bench + Japanese cherry-trees // Photograph: Torben Eskerod

Green Park // Photograph: Mike Magnussen

The green park is a place for families, picnics, relaxing, sunbathing, for hockey tournaments and badminton matches.

Actually there is much more to talk about this lively area of København but at the same time I do not want to bother you with too many words, that's why I'll just suggest you this interesting document if you want to know more about Superkilen and its world in miniature.


Bauman once said:

"Sport is one of the few institutions in society, where people can still agree on the rules". 

No matter where you are from, what you believe in and which language you speak, you can always play football together.

And Superkilen is a perfect example of it!