Bispebjerg square

Copenhagen

Denmark

The cultural heritage site around Bispebjerg square is a part of a tightly orchestrated urban plan from 1909. Situated on a hill, the site consists of the Gruntvig’s church, Bispebjerg square, a chapel, a church yard, housing areas and there are cafes and restaurants. The area has a coherent architectural composition which respects the building style and materials of the iconic Grundtvig’s church.

More on bispebjerg square

In the beginning of the 20th century the area was planned as a welfare district for workers, life could be lived from cradle to grave, and with the move to Bispebjerg, workers got modern housing and improved living conditions, all everyday needs were covered within an affordable radius.

In the 1970s, the trend reversed. Many workers moved to the suburb’s detached houses, and Copenhageners who needed to find a foothold were given apartments in the neighborhood’s public housing development. The growing car traffic deteriorated the area’s living and movement options to such an extent that the neighborhood is characterized by noise, unattractive street spaces and dominant approach roads to this day.

The area is pointed out by Copenhagen Municipality for a five-year renewal project to enhance the cultural heritage qualities and strengthen social coherence in the area. Therefore, an architectural competition was planned in 2022 to change this movement and with a unified architectural approach to urban space make the neighborhood safer and more attractive. The architectural competition was won by the architectural company BOGL in 2023. The project design will continue until the beginning of 2026 and the construction period will be from 2026 – spring 2028.

pilot site goal

Piloting aims at creating visual identity with light and darkness to strengthen the cultural heritage values of the site. The goal is to enhance social interaction in the area and to minimize social challenges due to diverse user groups by enhancing sense of belonging, for all.

Additionally, the aim is to Investigate the influence of integrating the methods from the Art of Darkness project in the design phase of the urban plan project for Bispebjerg square.

To participate in the project will influence and enhance the experience of the atmosphere at the cultural heritage site around Bispebjerg square in the dark hours and strengthen the architectural coherence of the various architectural components of the site. This will create increased liveability in the area in the dark hours and safe environments for the increased users of the urban spaces.

A special effort will be directed towards reusing and rebuilding existing lighting fixtures and to create sustainable lighting solutions in lowered and balanced lighting levels.

Local stakeholders and networks

Copenhagen Municipality has an integrated collaboration with social networks through their work with the urban renewal project in the area (Områdefornyelse Bispebjerg Bakke).

Other existing social networks in housing areas and in relation to Grundtvig’s church activities will also be integrated in the project together will the cultural networks, e.g. the dance institution ‘Dansekapellet’ which is situated in the historical chapel on Bispebjerg square.

To support the lighting aspects of the project, local lighting designers, manufacturers, and other industry experts will also be engaged.