We began this Tuesday by going to Gehl Architects, an urban design firm that aims to make cities for people. People is the key word here as cities are often centered around buildings and streets. It was amazing to see how many projects the firm had taken on and how they had repurposed busy intersections into places for public space. After a great presentation, we did a walking tour as well. As much of what we talked about was based around urban form, street design, and repurposing the way we use public space, I found myself wondering how the environment came into play. I asked if they had any sort of data on carbon emission differences before and after the implementation of cycle tracks, but they had no such thing. I continue to be curious as to what sort of firm does this sort of research and where I can find the information about how much less carbon is being polluted into the atmosphere.
It was a good change of pace to explore the city on foot rather than on bike and we were walking through an area that I had not been to before. I enjoyed taking in the surroundings and discussing the integration of urban design into how we perceive the street. Bikes are obviously a huge part of the culture in Copenhagen, but slowing the pace down even more made me realize how much I am missing while biking. There is a huge difference just between walking and biking places, and I am certain there is an even bigger jump between bikes and cars. It is amazing the observational and analytical process that can be done by simply walking around and taking it all in. This is something that we do not utilize enough in the states by transporting ourselves everywhere in a metal box.
Later in this day, the group went to the third oldest restaurant in Denmark and were quite entertained by our waiter, Phillip. What stuck out to me and I am sure a lot of others as well was that the restaurant had sunk into the ground over the years. Phillip had likened the sinking to people throwing trash outside of the restaurant, the city pouring concrete on top of that trash, and this happening over and over again. A few of us went out to a bar called Hive after dinner and talked to mostly other Danes, but we found a few Russians, Norwegians, and others from all over. I’m sure this can be found in any big touristic city on the summertime, but it is amazing just how many different cultures are represented in Copenhagen right now.
