Denmark
could therefore be tailored not only to the character
of the place, but also to the specific needs of a
particular group of park users, who use edges in
their sliding and ramps and smooth pavements to
obtain speed.
The skateboard park and the basketball area have
proved to be popular attractions. At present, the
area is predominantly used by skaters rather than
basketball players. The edges around the square
and on the ramp are very popular with the skaters.
Although the area is mostly used by the young and
active, other people often come to spectate, mak-
ing use of the tables and benches that have been
provided.
Reykjaviks Plads
Like much of the Harbour Park, the square known
as Reykjaviks Plads is surfaced with gravel. It lies
opposite the end of the street called Reykjavikgade.
Red walls with integrated benches form a shelter
from cold winds that blow from the north especially
in the early spring. These walls are curved in plan
and their height varies from 1.4 to 3.2m. They are
constructed from in-situ concrete and lightweight
concrete blocks covered with a red mortar. The
walls are capped with square ceramic flags which
are light blue in colour and serve to shed water.
Seating places and openings in the wall have been
faced with the same ceramic flags. Two metres
in front of the walls are two 500mm raised beds
which contain brightly coloured bedding plants.
These too have the blue ceramic facings.
The gravel surface is raised into a small mound,
400mm in height, from which two fragments of
concrete protrude.
Behind the wall, to the north, groups of Prunus
padus have been planted, which also provide shel-
ter. The rear of the wall has been planted with
Hedera helix, while a group of tables and benches
in front of the planting beds is placed within a grove
ofMalus hybrida spaced on a regular grid. Light is
provided by a low pylon lamp-post to a design often
found in railway areas.
The original design for Reykjaviks Plads showed
a much smaller area with pergolas protecting the
seating places. The curved wall was a later idea and
the choice of the colour red was made after tests on
site, with different colours being tried on the wall.
Commentators have suggested a wide range of
influences from Barcelona to Bolivia, but the truth is
that the colour was decided by trial and error.
Originally, the plant list was influenced by the wild
herbs which are to be found in the large semi-
natural area south-east of the park. The concept
was to use blue and yellow wildflowers that could
