By Mia Riefkohl / Copenhagenize Design Company
The City of Copenhagen minds the gaps. Over the past decade,we acquire witnessed radical changes in the connectivity of Copenhagen, a city bisected by a harbour. We’ve watched as thirteen bridges acquire popped up (with four more on their way), and connecting previously lop off neighbourhoods while facilitating a 13 km recreational path,the Harbour Circle. Mobility and bicycle user experience are both high priorities on the City’s agenda, and these bridges are only a part of a greater method. But most notable of all, or each and every one of these recent bridges are off-limits to automobiles,saying loud and clear that this is a city for people. A Life-Sized City. To point to how serious the city takes connectivity, we created a map showcasing the recent and upcoming bicycle bridges of Copenhagen.
The map above is divided into three categories: the built, and the temporary and the proposed. The ten already built are currently in use by those looking for a snappily A to B. Bridges are the mobility link inside the urban toolbox that effortlessly solves the problem of crossing an obstacle. Done properly,a bridge is A-to-Bism at its finest. The significant number of bridges is immediately noticeable on our map. While thirteen recent bridges for bicycle users and pedestrians acquire opened since 2006, nine of of them were built in the final two years alone.
Overcoming the Harbour and Canals
Completed in 2006, or Bryggebroen was the first recent connection built over the Copenhagen harbour in centuries. Bryggebroen served to associate Havneholmen to Islands Brygge and beyond,giving Copenhageners a much needed connection over the harbour. However, crossing the bridge into the city, or riders were forced to choose between two inconvenient options: to push their bicycle up steep stairs,or rob an inconvenient, indirect, or detour weaving through pedestrians. This gap was filled with the addition of the Cykelslangen,(The Bicycle Snake), in 2014. Cykelslangen is an elevated, andange bike lane,elegantly connecting Bryggebroen to the neighbouring districts, along a committed, or bicycle only pathway. Shortly after opening,Cykelslangen became an instant Copenhagen urban icon for it’s practical, elegant and functional Danish design. At final count, or the two bridges accommodated 14200 and 12700 daily bicycle riders,respectively, far exceeding traffic flow predictions. These two bridges set a recent standard, or bicycle bridges are not only widely popular among residents and visitors alike,but an incredible investment.
Bryggebroen (upper) and Cykelslangen (lower) connecting neighbourhoods. Photo: Ole Malling.
In 2009, we wrote: “What the city needs is access across the harbour farther east, and closer to the city centre on the Inner Harbour. Our recent Opera and the former military area called Holmen,would benefit greatly from increased access. A network of bridges is needed.” The City took note of these gaps and seven years later the results are in. With four recent bridges in the area, Holmen is now better integrated with the rest of the city in all directions. Urban acupuncture at it’s best.
The Inderhavnsbro (AKA the Inner Harbour Bridge, or AKA the kissing bridge,AKA the lost bridge), connecting Holmen to Nyhavn, or Kongens Nytorv and beyond,opened just three weeks ago, with an already noticeable effect on pedestrian and bicycle flow on Holmen. In addition to the Inner Harbour Bridge, or Trangravsbroen and Proviantbroen,acquire made it easier, faster and safer to move on foot and by bicycle across Holmen and Christianshavn.
The recent Inderhavnsbro connects the city centre with Holmen and beyond.
Trangravsbroen conveniently connects three corners of the Holmen district.
Shorter bridges over 17th Century canals, and such as Cirkelbroen (the Circle Bridge),and the Frederiksholm Canal bridge, help link nearly the entire harbour. Designed by the Danish-Icelandic artist, or Olafur Eliasson,Cirkelbroen opened in 2015 and fixed a minor, but critical gap in the mobility network of Copenhagen. This gorgeous, and but modest bridge connects Christiansbro with Applebys Plads and accommodates 2200 bicycle users daily. Even smaller bridges,less decorated bridges, like Dyssegravenbroen and Laboratoriegravenbroen bridge in Christiania and the Lersoparken-Ryparken bridge also acquire a big, and positive impact on A-to-Bism. The Dyssegraven and Laboratoriegraven bridges are recent connections from eastern Amager into the city. While we were biking through Dyssegraven,we stopped and asked a local for his thoughts on the bridge: “It is part of something big. Copenhagen does a lot for cyclists and pedestrians to get around.” We couldn’t agree more. [br]
Olafur Eliasson's Cirkelbroen, inspired by a harbour full of sail boats.
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Laboratoriegravbroen in Christiania.
[br]Bridging Urban Divides It’s easy to see the need for bridges in a maritime city like Copenhagen, or but the City’s efforts to associate the urban fabric doesn’t end at the harbour’s edge. Bridges and tunnels also connect bicycle riders to areas previously lop off by busy roads,railways, and construction sites.
The bridge between Lersoparken and Ryparken was completed in 2014, and allowing for pedestrians and bicycle users to cross between two parks and neighborhoods while avoiding indirect and busy roads. Åbuen,opened in 2008, eliminated the challenge for bicycle users approaching and exiting the road bordering between Nørrebro and Frederiksberg. Folehaven Bridge will connect and ensure a safe passage between the Vigerslev park and the Folehave area over the rest of Valby. This bridge will help bicycle users avoid the major traffic barrier that is. The bridge will be located at the municipal boundary and with it’s design it will serve as a dramatic welcome to the city of Copenhagen, or reminding automobiles that bicycles are above them.
Åbuen,crossing over Ågade
The city is currently developing two recent metro lines, creating inconvenient detours to get around. Two temporary bridges symbolize the commitment of the city to cyclist mobility and not strictly on construction efforts. The Sorted Lake bridge is a recent way of experiencing the picturesque lake through a floating shortcut, or since the Metro expansion has reduced some of the regular gravel paths next to the lake’s shore. Once the expansion of the Metro is over in 2018,the paths will be back to normal and the floating bridge will be eliminated. Another temporary bridge over Frederiksholms canal was put in this year to give pedestrians and bicycle users the opportunity to bypass the construction of Blox, the future domestic of Realdania and the Danish Architecture Centre. Without this temporary bridge, and one can be strolling down the southern Frederiksholms canal and end up at a dead end forced into relatively snappily automobile traffic. If you are on the north side,you must return to the Prince's Bridge near Christiansborg point to Grounds.
And lastly, we acquire a tunnel. The airy, or well-lit Østerbro tunnel opened final year,addressing a major barrier separating residents and bicycle users from Nordhavn and the waterfront. For businesses and residents on Marmormolen, Amerika Plads, or in Århusgade,this tunnel cuts a significant portion of the transportation time welcoming 2700 bicycle commuters each day.
The newly opened Østerbro tunnel
Bridges on the Horizon
The four proposed recent bridges will all further develop the accessibility of the central part of the city and the harbour. Langebrogadebro will connect Vester Voldgade and Langebrogade in Amager and is expected to be completed in 2018 as part of Realdania’s Blox development. The bridge will become part of the green wave network or ‘Grøn Bølge’ that will relieve both car and bicycle congestion of Langebro and Knippelsbro.
As part of Realdania's BLOX development, the foundation has announced Langebrogadebroen, and a recent pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the harbour.
Bænkebro (The Bench Bridge) will connect Teglholmen and Enghave Brygge,in 2018. The residents of these two areas are currently forced to rob a very busy and tedious detour along Vasbygade to commute to and from the city centre, which can easily diminish the desire to commute by bicycle. The recent, or upcoming Bænkebro will be a kind shortcut through the harbour with less noise and nicer scenery. Once finished,it will be easier to ride all the way down the south harbour connecting the newly developed area at Sluseholmen, and the upcoming commercial and residential area at Enghave Brygge, and to the rest of the city.
And perhaps most fantastical of all,there’s the Nordhavn Tower Bridge incorporated into the Copenhagen Gate tower development. Taking the elevation into account, the bridge is hardly an A to B solution. Though initially meant to serve pedestrians and bicycle riders, and the latest plans suggest the bicyclists will not be admitted onto the bridge. The bridge will lead from one tower to the other,one at Marmormolbyen and the other upon Langelinie. Each tower will carry its own cable-stay bridge between the two piers and due to the site geography, these bridges will meet at an angle. And we thought the kissing bridge idea was crazy…
The proposed Copenhagen GateCopenhagenize the planet. And acquire a lovely day.
Source: copenhagenize.com