European Landscape Architecture: Best Practice in Detailing

Denmark

withstand drought conditions. The desire was to

bring nature into the park, and it was also thought

that this approach would be appropriate to the

envisaged low levels of maintenance. However,

the wildflowers were later replaced by bulbs and

annuals with blue flowers. After three years, prob-

ably in response to undocumented demands from

members of the public, the composition of the

flowerbeds was changed and a variety of strong

colours was introduced.

The red walls of Reykjavik Plads shelter seating

places sited to catch the sun. They are particularly

popular in early spring. The flowerbeds are kept full

of brightly coloured plants and are popular with the

residents.

The Festival Place

The inverted hull of an old ferry, the Pinen, appears

to float over this place. It has become the icon for

the park. It is carried on two wigwam-like timber

supports to form an umbrella over the highest

part of the site. It stands on a gentle mound about

650mm higher than the rest of the park. Beneath

it, the chosen surface material is once again gravel,

with gentle falls to shed run-off. On three sides

• east, south and west – there are shallow steps
  (100–120mm risers) in an eye-catching zigzag forma-
  tion. These steps have been created with pre-cast
  concrete kerbstones. The configuration of the zig-

zags also accommodates a gentle ramped access.

The northern side of the Festival Place is framed by

a 4m-high steel pergola, through which runs a path

raised by 50mm. The steel frame of the pergola has

oxidised, giving it a rusty appearance in harmony

with its setting. It carries steel wires which provide

the support for climbing Clematis.

South of the Pinen, groups of Crataegus crus-galli

have been planted in the gravel surface, while

towards the street there is a group of poplars. All

the trees planted are white-flowered. In keeping

with the philosophy of recycling and reuse, 12

benches in the Festival Place have been made using

concrete from the former storage area of the har-

bour. The benches are supported on H-profile iron

legs, upon which the 60 x 180 x 15mm concrete

elements are secured. These are capped with blue

ceramic flags. In the south-eastern corner a wall is

reused as the support for six barbecue grills. These

are fixed to the wall and one of them has insulation

underneath so that people in wheelchairs can use it

without danger of burning their legs.

The old ship was already part of the provisional park

laid out by the residents, the original idea coming

from Poul Jensen. The designers felt that ‘to stress

the special importance of Pinen, there should be a

slight rise up to it’. The connection to the harbour is

1.18
Photo: the slightly raised platform where the
upturned hull of the Pinenhas been mounted as a
shelter. Visitors can climb the steps as a stair or
follow the zigzag route as a ramp.
1.19
Opposite: plan showing the raised platform in the
Festival Place