1. On the Edge
Connec ng city, harbour and nature at Fisketorvet Copenhagen Mall
Urban Design Studio Assignment 3
Faculty: Henning Thomsen

2. DIS Architecture + Design Spring 2013
Assignment 3: On the Edge - connec ng city, harbour and nature at Fisketorvet CPH Mall
The Place
We are on Vesterbro. Just next to the harbour. The area is a designated urban
development area. It ic slose to central city. It is close to Islands Brygge (urban
development area) and close to Amager Fælled (green, recrea onal area). The site
- that goes under the name ‘The Circus Square’ because it has been used for some
years by travelling circus’ - is just next to the largest inner city shopping center in
Copenhagen, Fisketorvet Copenhagen Mall. It is next to a major road leading from
the highway system to the central city. Both for housing, office and commercial uses
the area is extremely a rac ve. This said, the area is also extremely fragmented,
with a mix of different building types and forms, that don’t always suit each other
but more work as individual elements. The major road next to the site is heavily
trafficked. And good pedestrian and cycling connec ons through the area are
currently missing.
Frederiksberg Allé today
The Task
A private developer has acquired the site and made plans to build 26.000m2 offices
and 17.000 m2 apartments. This will take place in a star-shaped siteplan with
buildings between 5-8 storeys gathered around a green courtyard. As such the
municipality has agreed to this plan. But they have also asked the developer to come
up with concrete plans that show what kind of urban life, the area ought to cater for,
and in par cular how the promenade along the water and passing by and through
the new development can be landscaped and designed. The developer has asked
you to take on this task.
The Design Challenges
The developer has presented you with a task: do your magic and get him the go
ahead for the whole project from the municipality. The design challenges involved
in this task, he said less about when he called on you. Most of the challenges, you
need to observe, lie (hidden) in the recommenda ons from the municipality:
• The treatment of the edge (promenade) from Tømmergraven to Fisketorvet
• The treatment of the edge towards Vasbygade
• The treatment of the edge around the housing/office-blocks
• The treatment of urban life
• The treatment of water, including rain water (supplementary municipal
strategy regarding this which needs to be respected)
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3. DIS Architecture + Design Spring 2013
Assignment 3: On the Edge - connec ng city, harbour and nature at Fisketorvet CPH Mall
The Learning Objec ves
Using a real life project we aim to learn:
• how to understand the recommenda ons of a municipality when it responds
to plans brought forward by a private developer
• how to understand the role and opportuni es for urban designers/landscape
architects when they get involved in a project that is already well on its way
• how to analyse a fragmented urban area focusing on both urban fabric and
urban life (and the poten al for more and/or be er forms of urban life)
• how to communicate the lessons learned in the analysis of the site and its
surrounding urban context
• how on behalf of the private developer to respond to the recommenda ons of
a municipality and use the lessons learned in the analysis of the site to produce
an urban design/landscape architecture proposal for the design of the public
spaces and promenades in connec on with this new development
• and finally how to present this urban design/landscape architecture proposal
in a communica ve and engaging way.
The Proces
The project will fall in three major phases:
• Analysis (30%)
• Development (20%)
• Design (50%)
A detailed me- and produc onplan will be submi ed to you at the beginning of the
project. Each phase will terminate with concrete products
The Final Presenta on Requirements:
Analysis including documenta on photos and descrip ons
Edge at Bo01 in Malmö, Sweden Context map
Statement of intent
Inspira on material and/or reference photos
Diagrams in various scales
Site plan
Sec ons
3D representa ons, interior and exterior
Presenta on Format
Final drawings are to be presented on a DIS board, 120 cm x 120 cm. A name
tag, provided by the AD office, must be placed along the top edge of the board
for the submission to be counted as on me. All materials are due on Dec 11 at
22:00. A digital presenta on is acceptable if material is uploaded to the server by
submission deadline. If presen ng digitally, the student must at least provide b/w
prints of the scheme on board; projector requests must be made in the AD-office
one week prior to the submission deadline.
Edge at Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm, Sweden
Edge at Bo01 in Malmö, Sweden Edge at Fisketorvet
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4. DIS Architecture + Design Spring 2013
Assignment 3: On the Edge - connec ng city, harbour and nature at Fisketorvet CPH Mall
Submission of Assignments
All presenta on material must be supplemented with a digital submission of the
presenta on boards including photos of physical models. This requirement is
necessary for grading and archival purposes for DIS, as well as documenta on
you will need for your own por olio. Digital submission of this material must be
uploaded to Blackboard before the final project deadline (typically 10:00 pm the
night before presenta ons).
Plo ng
To avoid plo er backup and breakdowns, we offer to plot your boards for you
(anything larger than A3). If you would like the AD staff to plot your board, please
submit it to AD Documents by 09:00 the day before the first day of presenta ons!
Submit to the folder: AD_Documents>To_AD_Department>Sp13>Asn3_Plot_
Submissions>
AD_Documents can be accessed in the Computer Labs equipt with AD Programs
File Size
No file over 10 megabytes will be plo ed! Files MUST be in PDF format! Please be
aware that the maximum plot size 105cm x 150cm. Make sure your file size fits
Connec ng two edges: Bryggebroen, facing Islands Brygge within these dimensions! Keep in mind the boards we provide for pin-up are 120cm
x 120cm.
File Naming for Submission
All files submi ed to DIS Forum or AD_Documents MUST follow the AD file naming
system:
Lastname_Firstname_COURSE_Content_SEMESTER
ex.
Johnson_Ma _UD_Asn3_Sp13
Plo ng on your own
You are welcomg to plot on your own any me before the 09:00 deadline. If you
miss the 09:00 deadline or if you choose to plot on your own, please be pa ent and
wait for the submi ed plots to finish prin ng before you begin.
Evalua on
Evalua on is based on daily work in studio (process) 40% and final presenta on
(comple on of assignment goals including: concept, context, func on, completeness
and presenta on) 60%.
Overall Schedule
Edge along the Rhone River in Lyon, France
Mar 12 13:15 - 17:00 Introduc on to Assignment 3
Fr Mar 15 13:15 - 17:00 Studio
Individual mee ngs with studio instructor to discuss
personal goals and expecta ons for the semester.
15:00 - 15:30 Class Rep Mee ng
Loca on: Classroom V7.41
Tu Mar 19 13:15 - 19:30 Studio
Fr Mar 22 13:15 - 17:00 Studio
Mar 23 - Apr 1 Independent Travel break or op onal DIS tours
Fr Apr 5 13:15 - 17:00 Studio
Tu Apr 9 13:15 - 17:00 Studio
Fr Apr 12 13:15 - 17:00 Gallery Cri que of Assignment 3
Mar 13 - Apr 21 Independent Travel break or op onal DIS tours
Tu Apr 23 13:15 - 17:00 Studio with Faculty
15:00 - 15:30 Class Rep Mee ng
Loca on: Classroom V7.41
Tu Apr 30 13:15 - 17:00 Studio
Fr May 3 13:15 - 17:00 Studio
Su May 5 9:00 Plot deadline for those having DIS plot their presenta ons
22:00 Assignment 1 Project Deadline.
Edge at Havneholmen, just next to the site Mo May 6 9:00 - 16:00 Presenta on of Assignment 3
Tu May 7 9:00 - 16:00 Presenta on of Assignment 3
We May 8 13:15 - 16:00 Studio wrap-up session
4 16:00 - 18:00 Closing AD Social
BBQ and Awards Ceremony
Loca on: Skindergade 12 Courtyard