Year: First prize in competition 2008, completion 2014
Client: City of Copenhagen
Program: Urban Plaza
Size: 12,500 m²
"The history of Israels Plads reflects the history of Copenhagen’s transformation. This central plaza was once where the city ended in a ring of protective fortification. As the city gradually expanded, the plaza became a vibrant market square – until the 1950s, when it was turned into a lifeless car park.
With the transformation of Israels Plads, the idea is to celebrate the significance and the history of the square and to revitalize it, turning it into a vibrant, diverse plaza for leisure and sport used by all kinds of people. The surface of the plaza is elevated above the existing streets, like an urban carpet. It hovers over the many cars that once dominated Israels Plads, which are now placed underground. The cars are literally swept under the carpet!"
