Superkilen

The district of Nørrebro in the centre of Denmark’s capital Copenhagen is an ethnically highly diverse neighbourhood with people from 62 countries. Taking into account this multicultural backdrop, the urban design of Superkilen interprets a public park as a space of “urban narratives” – a place that aims to promote social integration with a lively approach. A central aspect in the implementation of this concept is to present it as an exhibition of unusual objects. Instead of using standard street furniture for the park, people from the area were asked to name specific objects such as benches, bins, trees, playgrounds, manhole covers and signage from other countries to be included in the scheme. The infrastructure of Superkilen makes up a modern park with all the typical elements including paths for pedestrians and cyclists as well as a marketplace. In addition, it also offers local inhabitants many spaces for recreation and other activities. The conceptual point of departure is the division of Superkilen into three main zones: the Red Square, the Green Park and the Black Market. The Red Square serves as an area for sports activities, the Green Park as a grassy children’s playground, and the Black Market as a communal and picnic area. Due to the implementation of all represented interests, the urban design of the public Superkilen park is as diverse as the possibilities for integration. The sophisticated implementation paves the way for uniting everybody in one lively global neighbourhood.