Through its New Nordic cuisine, the food scene in Copenhagen has been growing in popularity and is becoming a major appeal for inhabitants and visitors. Its rooted and seasonal gastronomy as well as its traditional convivial concepts make any food experience in the city a wholistic one as it is linked to the produce, the ambiance, and of course the setting. An enjoyable meal, in what is one of the happiest cities in the world, requires specific localization, design, and planning that can nurture communal and leisure activities. Such spaces should become even more coveted as Copenhagen hosts the UIA World Congress of Architects.
This also includes perpetuating the famous nordic Hygge, in which comfort and conviviality are key to good living. This idea applies just as well to its developing urban plan as is noted with the attention on the community spaces, encouraging recreational activities and wellness. Along those lines, the gastronomy sector has evolved to the point of it being considered whilst planning the city. It is given typological attention of its own in order to raise awareness about sustainable and healthy agriculture/ food preparation, and promote this sector that is part of the Danish culture.
Waterfront Restaurants
Copenhagen’s harbor (including, Nordhavnen - North Harbour, Sydhavnen - South Harbour, and Inderhavnen - Inner Harbour) has been undergoing changes for the past years, reclaiming and shifting this previously-predominantly industrial zone into a major recreational area, and integrating it into urban life. A notable action was the cleaning of the waters to transform the waterfront into an accessible and activity-filled leisure area, most importantly developing the connections between the harbor zones (yachts, baths, attractions…) through electric water buses, pedestrian bridges, walkways, biking lanes, and all means of reaching these sometimes hard to access spaces. The resulting scenery includes mixed-use projects of all sizes and nature, with food venues being one of them.
With big Danish architects taking on the task, many residential units, restaurants, sports activities and sunbathing, etc. have taken shape through new construction but also through many adaptive reuse interventions along the waterfronts. The industrial history of the harbor is reminded through the architecture resulting in some very interesting setups and designs for the many restaurants and eating venues that flank its banks. In projects such as The Silo by Cobe, which houses the Restaurant Silo, one of the largest original buildings of the area, previously a grain silo, was transformed into a mixed-use (mainly residential) building. The 17-floor high, concrete structure is crowned by the all-glass Restaurant Silo, which offers a beautiful view of the city and the ever-changing harbor, looking onto the rest of the water-side and floating restaurants and venues.
Street Food Markets
Another configuration that supports Copenhagen’s food scene is the availability and further creation of large public areas that accommodate its renowned and dynamic street food markets. These can certainly be public squares, inner courtyards of cultural or commercial institutions, and parks for the more traditional format. But these instances of food and cultural exchange are being set up in many more ways, utilizing some in-between spaces such as areas and parking spaces adjoining train stations, along passageways, or under bridges. All the while, the smartly designed pedestrian and bicycle lanes and means of moving around the small city center make it easy to try out the many street venues popping up all around Copenhagen (Reffen, Torvehallerne, BaneGaarden, The Bridge Street Kitchen, Tivoli Food Hall ). One of these spaces is the Værftets Madmarked which is situated near the Danish National Maritime Museum by BIG, the Culture Yard, and the UNESCO world heritage Kronborg Castle, in Elsinore, a neighboring city that is just a short train ride away from Copenhagen. The maritime-themed space, which was formerly the Elsinore Shipyard, suggests a relaxed setting with its high ceilings lined with shipping materials and old boats.
Organic Restaurants and Urban Farming
Urban organic farming and food preparation is in fact another setup that one can find in Copenhagen. The activation of roofs, particularly green roofs, and regeneration of waterside spaces, utilizing natural irrigation systems and resources to grow seasonal yields, are characteristics of some of the most notable restaurants in the city. GRO eatery for example is a rooftop farm and restaurant that offers organic meals in a most convivial and informal setting of a single table in a greenhouse, with the ingredients coming directly from outside. Noma 2.0 by BIG, is another example of culinary transparency and organic/ seasonal ingredient use.
Through these smaller urban injections, these unique but key spaces, promote the ideas of safe and sustainable farming and sourcing into the community. They exemplify a consideration for the future that is essential to denote through these publicly accessible settings, not only health-wise but educating about sustainable and seasonal agricultural awareness and adaptability. Thus, in most of these cases, the consumer is involved and getting up close with the gardening, growing, and cooking process.
Imagined as an intimate culinary garden village, guests are welcome to experience a new menu and philosophy that will redefine Noma for years to come.
Fællesspisning
The Fællesspisning or communal eating is a most interesting situation of gastronomy activating communal spaces as it is initially a concept that allows this to happen. The main idea is to bring together people for a meal; traditionally this would have been a town, council, or such. Nowadays, there are many restaurants and community centers or initiatives that host Fællesspisning. Then there shall be an appropriation of space, no matter what it initially is, and through a large common table or banquet, there will be an exchange of cultures, knowledge, and getting to know each other through food; such that in the Ku.BE space by MVRDV and ADEPT, in Frederiksberg. While it might seem like an unlikely venue, besides hosting all kinds of activities from yoga and parkour to art exhibitions, concerts, etc. once a week is KU.BE’s fællesspisning day, where the café tables are moved into long rows and people get together for a hearty meal.
There seems to be a beautiful parallelism between the city’s food scene and its recent urban development. There is a definite respect for Danish food and conviviality (Hygge) history just as for the previous landmarks and industrial past of the harbor areas. This is coupled with the application of new experimental cuisines, echoed in its city planning with the exploration and use of innovative technologies and urban/architectural interventions. But most importantly, consumer or city dweller comfort and well-being are some of the major goals and are being reached through sustainable means, whether it is through organic farming and seasonal gastronomy or urban developments, such as the cleaning of the harbor waters, promotion of cycling commute and further integration of new bike routes, urban parks, new residential areas or inclusive public spaces.
For more information and tips about the city, go to VisitCopenhagen.
