Stop on the island

The interior of the Copenhagen Island hotel is also worth a visit.
First, the lobby (in the "tower") has really interesting volumes. It actually contains only a panoramic elevator and access gateways to the floors. The blue panels give a warm underwater feel. Of course as we are in Denmark, you can enjoy design armchairs to get a well deserved rest :-)


Under the glass roof which was visible from behind the building, you can find a restaurant and a bar. Again everything is very "neo-Scandinavian": metal, dark wood and shades of beige.

The rooms have of course all you could need, including a desisgn chair ... Fortunately, the decoration is a little more colorful, which makes the atmosphere warmer. The advantage of living on an island is that there is waterview from all sides ... In particular views of the harbor, the bathing facility at the foot of the hotel and the modern buildings that dot the neighborhood.




This post is part of the Islands Brygge Architecture walk.

Copenhagen Island Hotel

On the other side of the bridge, close to Fisketorvet, you can find the Copenhagen Island Hotel.

Viewed from behind, the building has strong looking vertical lines, whose monotony is broken by small balconies placed irregularly. Another hallmark is the restaurant glass roof (on the left of the picture).

Viewed from the front, you recognize the building thanks to its partially glassed square tower, topped by a black "hat". If this reminds you the Paustian shope, this is no coincidence: both buildings were designed by the same firm: Utzon.

Once you have walk around the building, you better understand the name. In fact the hotel is located on an artificial island. Access is therefore by bridge.

This post is part of the Islands Brygge Architecture walk.
Last stop : Inside Copenhagen Island

View from the bridge

From the middle of the bridge, you can appreciate how much things have changed around here.
Before (in fact, it's nowadays and a little more south, but it gives you an idea of the look): an industrial area...

After: a lot of modern residential buildings (some office buildings too, especially on the other side) with a neo-nordic architecture (I don't know if it exists but I just thought it sounded great ;-)

After this little break, let's cross the bridge and walk past Fisketorvet (a not so interesting building) to end this walk in front of the Copenhagen Island hostel.

This post is part of the Islands Brygge Architecture walk.
Next stop : Copenhagen Island

A bridge to cross...

Opposite to the Gemini residence, you will find a bridge to reach the other bank and its activities (especially the mall Fisketorvet). The idea is welcome as it helps open up the area of Islands Brygge. Urban planners believe that this might not be enough to bring life in the neighborhood ...
The bridge is for pedestrians and cyclists and the installation seems successful based on his attendance!


This post is part of the Islands Brygge Architecture walk.
Next stop : View from the bridge

Gemini building

Just on the site of the Wennberg silo, another old silo has been converted into a residential building. The result is quite different, but also very original!

The architects had to work hard on this challenge: "What can you do with two cylinders 25m in diameter?"

The name of this great reconversion: the Gemini residence.

The balconies seems a bit more practical than on the Wennberg silo and I would think than the interior might be a little easier to furnish... on the other side, it's probably less fun!

This post is part of the Islands Brygge Architecture walk.
Next stop : A bridge to cross

Wennberg silo

A few minutes later, you can see a huge building standing on the dock. This is an old silo of the "Dansk Soyakagefabrik" (a soy cake factory...). When the area was "civilized", the architects chose to keep the building and tranformed it into a residential complex of 16 floors!

You can well recognize the shape of the industrial silos.
As one might expect and as you can see on the building website (clik on boligerne, then interiør), some apartments must be really difficult to furnish!

Seen from afar, it's quite impressive and the originality of the building is really noticeable! At least the industrial past and history of the neighborhood is not forgotten.

This post is part of the Islands Brygge Architecture walk.
Next stop : Gemini residence

Havneparken

Close to the baths, the banks have been landscaped into gardens and park activities. It includes among others things a football field, kayak polo installations ... This helps to bring a little life in the neighborhood!
The architects have retained some elements of the neighborhood's industrial past: remains of reinforced concrete walls, freight car, old boat, .... A very peculiar walk!


This post is part of the Islands Brygge Architecture walk.
Next stop : Wennberg Silo

Havnebadet

From the Central Station, walk to the City Hall Square, then go down HC. Andersens Boulevard to reach Langebro brigde. On the other side of the canal, you can already see the first leg of our trip: the baths(Havnebadet).


Since the water has been declared clean enough for public swimming in 2001, locals are enjoying the water - when the weather is good enough. To harness all this energy, the municipality has commissioned and opened in 2003 this protected bathing area with diving board and children's pool.
As you can see, the architects were really inspired by the ships stationned not so far.


Of course in the winter the place is deserted (and also closed). See you next year!

This post is part of the Islands Brygge Architecture walk.
Next stop : Havneparken

New architecture in Islands Brygge

Copenhagen is quite well known for its modern architecture. Hence the exhibition "Copenhagen X" which identifies the most emblematic constructions since 2000. DanskViking brings his stone to the building and offers this first themed walk "modern architecture" that will take us accross Islands Brygge.

We will discover:

• The baths (Havnebadet)
• The gardens (Havneparken)
• Wennberg Silo
• Gemini
• The pedestrian bridge and its view
  
• Copenhagen Island hotel and its design interior
  

Winter walk part 3

We continue on Strøget to reach Royal Copenhagen, the famous china store, where you can admire the tradition of the Christmas tables. Every year, they dress amazing Christmas table with their products. Last year, it was some Danish noble families who had the privilege to decorate the tables. It's more "classy" but less artistic than the year before that (but we'll come back to that) ...

We now go into Illum Bolighus (without even going outside on the street again thanks to the inside passage) where this time, it is chairs that are used for Christmas decoration ...

Winter walk continues...

Next, we continue straight to Magasin, one of the main department store of Copenhagen, to admire the nice windows displays changing every year. Bets are open on what will be the theme this year... Last year it was the little wooden soldier, dressed by the locals designers.

The walk continues into Strøget (the very crowded main pedestrian street of Copenhagen), up to Illum (the second main department store of Copenhagen), which has used a family of reindeer plush and traditional gold stars for decoration.

Between the two deparment stores, you can make a quick stop in Pistolstræde, a small passage on the right of Strøget. You can see a lof of traditionnal julepynt (Christmas decorations).

You can also find in this gallery a rather interesting shop of cooking instruments...

Winter walk

Let's start a traditionnal winter walk in Copenhagen. It starts in Kongens Nytorv where the most adventurous can enjoy the ice-skating ring, while the less courageous just watch...

Unfortunately, due to the economical crisis, there is a high risk that this year again decoration spendings will be downsized. Remember the exuberant Christmas lights of 2006...

Now compare to 2007 and 2008 (they dared to reuse the same two years in a row!)

Next: Magasin du Nord

The City Hall square stone

Second interesting item located on the square of the City Hall (Rådhuspladsen), a sculpted granite stone that indicate the "entry point to the city" (actually the city a long time ago). It also served as a "kilometer zero" indicator, defining the distance from Copenhagen to major cities. You can also see the insignia of the city (with three towers, the sun and the moon).

There are others of those cornerstones, located at other "doors" of the city.

Nice fountain!

In the middle of all the tacky neon lights of the City Hall square, you can find a much nicer piece: a fountain. Nothing so special so far ... Yes sure, but I quite like this fountain. In fact, with all its fantastic animals, the look is very "gothic" 8-). It represents a bull fighting a dragon on a pedestal decorated with skulls, surrounded by fantastic weirds "bugs" (if someone has a proposal for a name, I'm interested).




Note that the statues have been replaced. The original stand guard in front of the TownHall.