A Pedestrian Haven

A Pedestrian Haven is a project that converts the parking lot and the street in front of the National Bank of Copenhagen into a car-free area. 

Despite the changes in the last few decades, the urban landscape is still for cars. The asphalt strips the streets of their tactile qualities that encourage a slower pace and livelier city centre. A Pedestrian Haven supports and recognizes the positive impact of car-free areas, but the project also challenges the current manner of pedestrianizing streets. The project’s relevance has increased by the COVID-19 outbreak, as outdoor spaces have proved to be vital during this period. 

A Pedestrian Haven treats the pavement, the shelter, and access to the water as a set of interior-like spaces. The goals of the spaces are to contribute to a slower pace with increased presence, awaken curiosity in the user, and extend the usage period throughout the year. Materiality, tactility, and composition make a street that feels grounded in its surroundings and fit the human scale. 

The project enhances the site’s present spatial qualities and the possible new qualities that could make people experience the space differently. The analysis of what is dormant and what is present in the site became essential for understanding what is needed. This conclusion necessitates a discussion of how careful we as designers have to be with only referring to what is already existing on the site — it is easy to overlook potential qualities that are not yet there.