Køge Kyst

In 2010, the small Danish town of Køge organised an international competition to breathe new life into its (former) harbour areas and connect them to the historic city centre. Karres en Brands believes that megalomaniac master plans can be devastating for small cities like Køge. The city seeks unity, whereby every location within it continues to maintain its own distinctive characteristics.

Køge currently has a compact, almost closed city centre with a small-scale atmosphere, narrow streets, and only the market square as a large open space. The harbours have a much larger scale, both in terms of the size of the buildings and the public space. The port enjoys a beautiful view of the open sea, beaches, and the old town. A railway forms a physical barrier between the two parts of the city.

The design proposes an urban renewal strategy based on existing ideas of the locality and the area’s characteristics. The sea, the harbour, the historic city centre, and the beautiful landscapes that surround Køge together form the basis for the formulation of a new plan. This means that, across all areas, existing buildings and historic artefacts are valued and integrated.

In order to accomplish this, the project is based on a ‘slow and local’ approach. Together with residents and stakeholders, future ambitions are formulated and given place and shape. Essential for the participative programme, therefore, is the ‘managing of expectations’, reconciliation between stakeholders with different requirements, and connecting existing and future communities. Only then can Køge be unified.