Tingbjerg, Copenhagen
2019 - 2022
Interpreting and consolidating architectural heritage
Tingbjerghusene interpret and consolidate the architectural heritage of Tingbjerg
Tingbjerg was designed as a neighborhood where community and people’s well-being are fundamental values, reflecting in the overall architectural layout.
Gardens, green hills, and neighbor spaces were the initial considerations when Tingbjerg was planned in the 1950s by the renowned Danish architect and urban planner, Steen Eiler Rasmussen.
The development of Tingbjerg is based on the premise that all initiatives should build upon Tingbjerg’s original values but updated to meet contemporary requirements and needs, with improvements where time has shown that the original plans were insufficient.
The new densification strategy and Tingbjerghusene contribute security and spatial qualities to the large residential area. The houses are constructed as modern owner-occupied homes that ordinary people can afford, situated within the protected common residential garden spaces.
Tingbjerg is densified with new attractive family homes—a densification that delicately integrates into the existing urban structure and supports relationships and interactions between current residents and those moving into the neighborhood.
Tingbjerg stands outt from other urban development areas in Copenhagen, where neighborhoods are constructed entirely from scratch or in former industrial districts. In Tingbjerg, the construction is integrated into an existing urban structure with established infrastructure, an architectural expression, and natural qualities that give the area its distinctiveness and unique character.
Tingbjerg is situated on hills, presenting various topographical challenges. In the urban development plan, designed by SLA and Vandkunsten, building plots are primarily designated within the existing garden spaces.
The new development—Tingbjerghuse—harmonizes with the existing building heights, ensuring that they remain a dominant feature of the landscape.
The vision for Tingbjerg was originally to offer affordable homes in a green environment close to Copenhagen. Homes that could serve as an attractive alternative for the working class to the worn-out apartments in Copenhagen’s older neighborhoods. This vision has been revitalized by Tingbjerghuse, introducing a new type of residence, namely homeownership, with the aim of making Tingbjerg a diverse urban area.
To support the area’s development, the new homes are priced well below market value, and buyers have to apply to purchase them. Additionally, a profit clause has been implemented: Buyers can only realize a profit upon selling after having lived in and contributed to the area for at least 4 years. If they sell at a profit within the first 4 years, 50% of the profit goes to the Neighborhood Association. This is implemented to ensure that new residents come to Tingbjerg with a sincere intention to contribute to creating a vibrant and inclusive urban neighborhood.
Values and tenets
The street
The new development is primarily situated along the existing access roads, thereby creating a series of new local access spaces that connect the new and existing areas. This design fosters spaces for informal encounters between residents centered around everyday activities.
The garden space
The garden spaces are bordered on one side by the new development, thereby sharing the garden space with the existing residences. Along the new development, passages are established, creating access spaces with shared functions while simultaneously serving as entrances to the communal garden areas.
The nature
The nature and landscape of the garden spaces disrupt the building plot structure, forming passages and setbacks. This allows the garden space to be visible from the residential roads and creates a boundary against the street space.
Project facts
Facts
Project name: Tingbjerghuse
Category:Housing, Planning, Træ, Wood
Client: NREP, Copenhagen Municipality, fsb, SAB
Location: Tingbjerg, Copenhagen
Date: 2019 - 2022
Status: 7 test houses built, the next stage is ongoing
Number of units: 400 row houses
Project
Program: Development of an existing vulnerable public housing area through densification with new housing types.
Activity: New construction
Construction system: Wood
Contact: Morten Dam Feddersen, mdf@vandkunst.dk
Project group: Kristian Martinsen, Troels Trier Mørk, Elena Astrid Rojas, Jan Albrechtsen
Team
Architect: Tegnestuen Vandkunsten
Landscape: SLA
Engineer: Niras
Contractor: Danhaus