ENGHAVE BRYGGE Stories of the site Enghave Brygge History and cultural context The first real master plan of the area was made in 1982. It has two focuses, one concerning the area around Dong energy, and the another focusing on the areas around it on both sides. One of the demands for the place where Dong is situated was that the plot ratio could not exceed 60%, and it was only Dong energy that had the right to built here. The area surrounding it, had a plot ratio on 110 %, and there could not be built higher than 20 meters above ground 0, meaning 4 stories. This area was only meant for industrial business purposes. During the last 140 years heavy waste from metal and cars has been han- dled from Enghave Brygge, but now this business has been moved to another place in Copenhagen, Refshaleøen, and a significantly amount of work with cleaning the soil at Enghave Brygge has started. When this is done creating a new part of the city can begin. Picture 1: The site seen from above. Picture 2+3: The H.C. Ørstedsværket, a major landmark for the whole of Copenhagen. 2000 Master plan by Soeter 1994 2010 From coal fuel CPH RC building 1940 to natual gas add-on CPH rowing club to Diesel house was Enghave Brygge opened 1995 Super Marco 1920 1982 was opened HC Ørstedsværket Local Plan was opened 1999 ‘Evolution’ by Ulrik Schiødt Diagram 1: A timeline showing what has happened at Enghave Brygge for approximately the last 100 years. Also it should be mentioned that there has been a major concern about the proximity to H.C. Ørstedsværket. H.C. Ørstedsværket, which is a power station, was built in 1920, and was at that time the largest of its kind in Denmark. At that time coal as a fuel source was the most important, but currently they have switched into using natural gas. A big part of the buildings connected to Dong Energy are protected by the preservation of Copenhagen and cannot be demolished. Picture 4+5: Some of the graffiti walls in the area where artists come to practice their skills. Some are clearly more talented than others, but it is fascinating how it lights up the area. The old railway is still exposed and going all the way down to the water as an evidence of the heavy industry that was once situated in the area. Trains were needed for shipping coals from the ships that docked at Enghave Brygge and up to H.C. Ørstedsværket. At the moment the area contains a large amount of graffiti walls and parts of the place seems abandoned. A lot of people, many young artists, come out there to practice their graffiti skills and to meet others with the same interest. It is clear that some of the abandoned area is being used for parties, and also for people who do not have a permanent place to live. Mattresses and used spray cans are spread all over the area. There are some houseboats out there, and it is a wish for the future that more shall come. The municipality of Copenhagen is very fond of this way of living on the water, but at the moment it is quite expensive, and the waiting list for it is long. At the moment houseboats are situated in two areas, a small group at the end of Fiskerihavnsgade next to the small chapel, which is actually a hideout for a large aqueduct going down under the harbor dock. The other place for houseboats is larger and placed at the end of Landvindsgade on the south side facing Teglholmen to the water side and old industrial area towards land. Houseboats CPH Rowing Chapel Club Super Marco Diesel H.C. ¯rsted- house v¾rket ÕEvolutionÕ mural Houseboats Diagram 2: An overview of where things are situated in the area. Picture 6+7: Everyday life on the water. The houseboats where people are living, and the space nearby that they are using as their own private space. A dutch architecture company, Soeters Van Eldonk has recently in year 2000 made a new master plan for the harbor area, also including Teglholmen and Sluse- holmen. The aim is to create an urban area that is shaped by canals similar to Java Island in Amsterdam. The plan is that the site shall contain 500-700 apartments in varies sizes. Diagram 3: The site situated in Coenhagen Diagram 4: The site as part of the master plan made by Soeters van Eldonk Architects, showing from the top: - Enghave Brygge -Teglholmen -Sluseholmen Enghave Brygge has some special demands in the way of thinking a city because of the location next to Dong Energy. Physical and geographical context Enghave Brygge is situated in the southern part of the harbor in Copenha- gen surrounded by Havneholmen on the north side, Teglholmen to the south side and Vesterbro in the back. To the city center and the main station is approximately 2.5 kilometers, and busses goes all the way in there. Since 2006 when Bryggebroen opened it has been very easy to get from one side of the harbor to the other side. Now it takes only a few minutes to walk or go by bike from Havneholmen next to Enghave Brygge and over to Islands Brygge. This is of great significance to the area because of the proximity to inner Copenha- gen, Christianshavn and Amager. Also to have an old and kind of historical neighborhood close by is rather important because both Havneholmen and Teglholmen are rather newly estab- lished and do not have the same kind of daily life as Islands Brygge and Vesterbro for instance. Being out there physically at the moment feels like not being in a part of the capital, but in a isolated place where you are not completely sure of whether it is legal to be there or not. It is abandoned and no one is living there. There is a lot of bare land surrounded by fence that looks wild and untamed. Grass is growing wild and small trees are coming up from the ground. It is clear that something has been going on behind the fences, but you cannot get in there and get a proper look. Picture 8: The abandoned area, not at all looking like a part of the capital of Denmark. Somewhere parts from buildings are lying as part of evidence that once something was happening there, something that has now been torn down. Also big bulldozers and containers are placed out there so it is clearly that new things are happening and about to happen at the location. The long massive wall with graffiti gives the impression that the site has been taken over by this underground force that needs a place to express itself, and also show the world that it exists and cannot be suppressed by common laws and rules. The infrastructure at Enghave Brygge consists of varies of wide as- phalt paved roads and the old railways that are not used anymore. Also there are some sidewalks out there and no heavy traffic, so it is easy to get around. The area is separated from Vesterbro by one of the major arteries surround- ing Copenhagen, called Vasbygade, or just O2 and also by the railways leading towards the main station or out of Co- penhagen. Diagram 5: The site and distances to central places nearby Rådhuspladsen: 3 km Dybbelsbro St.: 1.2 km Bryggebroen: 1 km Fisketorvet: 0.8 km Picture 9+10: The steets are wide and in part of the area sidewalks are made for pedestrians. There are no bikelanes out there. When it comes to the materials out there, most of the building are made in brick. The Copenhagen rowing club is buildt in red bricks with a red tiled roof. Also one of the big trademarks for the city, H.C. Ørstedsværket is mainly built up in bricks somewhere covered with dark red plaster. One of the protected buildings the timbered one next to the old chunk yard are also in brick and of cource wood. Another common material on the site is concrete. The Italian supermarked is made in concrete and also the long concrete wall for graffiti takes up a big spot in the landscape together with the rest of the factory buildings. Picture 11+12: Common used materials out there are bricks and concrete. Protected buildings Worth preserving Diagram 6: The area contains a lot of buildings worth protection. Social roles and expectations At the moment people at Enghave Brygge only come there if they have a purpose of a business matter out there. There are some storage facilities and an Italian supermarket, SuperMarco, one of the largest Italian supermarkets in Copen- hagen at Enghave brygge. Also in the beginning of the area towards Havneholmen Copenhagen row- ing club is situated in a fine red brick building from the beginning of the 1940s. The club has roots going all the way back to the 1860s and has founded members who are today Olympic medal winners. Picture 13+14: The rowing club and the closeness to the water. As mentioned a very few amount of people live out there, only the ones living on the water in houseboats. Some are families with children and a middle income. They like to be close to the possibilities the big city offers, but still from a certain distance. They like the quiet urban way of living, and do not have the need to feel the pulse of the city 24-7, but like to have to opportunity to be in it within a short matter of time.