Masterplan for Carlsberg Byen

Carlsberg Brewery moved 170 years ago to what at that time was the countryside. Diverse neighborhoods emerged east, north and west of Carlsberg. Through decades the logistic became harder and the prize of the land became higher. Carlsberg then moved the production out of CPH. The Carlsberg area could then be transformed to a new city district. An international architectural competition was executed, in 2006-2007 with 218 entries from 35 countries. The brief was to create a vibrant and diverse city. No demands / program on the number of residentials, areas, urban spaces etc. An open program.

We patiently sought, analyzed, discussed and found surprisingly the answer in a strangely beautiful plan of the Carlsberg basements and underground corridors. This plan contained the elegant tensions of Acropolis and the Nolly maps of Rome 1748. Thus the basement plan became the future plan of Carlsberg. Squares, streets, hierarchy between buildings emerged for the eyes of us as if we were standing in a darkroom inducing pictures. Beautiful tense spaces and strangely awkward lines between buildings emerged. As in Lars von Triers set in Dogville we were given the future streets and façade lines of Carlsberg. We decided that each historic building should stand in dialogue with an urban space. Together they become social and cultural landmarks, as in the map of Nolli. New buildings support the special identity of each of the many small urban spaces. Hence Carlsberg ends up as a generous network of different spaces where you can always find what you seek.

The urban vitalization of Carlsberg is made by thougts and strategies more than by use of structure and materials. But the old buildings of Carlsberg were given and they had a dominant coherency by the use of red bricks. Our goal was to strength this local architectural DNA by stressing the importance to each architect who should build at Carlsberg that the top of the hierarchy at the site was held by the old buildings, meaning that the new building should talk a quiet and coherent language. Even the 9 high- and mid-rises should be a subtle composition more than a roaring bunch of super egos. The differences should be found in the heritage and the urban spaces. The true generosity of Carlsberg the wide range of offers in terms of cultural entrepreneurship and urban spaces. You can within 5 min. walk find what you seek. This demands a supportive mass, being the new added buildings that talk a supportive and fine architectural language.