A green oasis has opened up on an island in the middle of Copenhagen’s bustling city centre. The Opera Park acts as a response to the urban densification of Copenhagen’s inner harbour, which has left people yearning for more nature and areas for recreation. Danish studio Cobe designed the park that offers 21,500m2 of scenery, spread throughout six different gardens with both local and exotic flora. Drawing inspiration from the historical gardens of Europe’s capitals, the park is designed for people to linger in its scenic landscape.
— The Opera Park uses the elements of the historical romantic garden to tackle contemporary challenges, says Dan Stubbergaard, Architect and founder of Cobe. A multilayered slice of dense urban nature that, on the one hand, supplies the city with nature, creates a calm refuge for its citizens and visitors and tackles stormwater and, on the other hand, stores 300 cars underground.
The area is connected by a pedestrian bridge to the Danish Royal Opera. Acting as a dynamic stage for nature, the park contains a variety of trees and paths layered across its billowing landscape.
Severe weather events are increasingly effecting urban environments, with consequences such as extremely fluctuating water levels as a result. The park’s design tackles those challenges head-on with the help of floodable surfaces that create a shifting shoreline and a space that moves with nature. Opera Park fosters biodiversity amidst the urban landscape. Its avant-garde greenhouse takes centre stage, ensuring the park’s allure remains constant throughout the year. Connecting seamlessly to an underground parking facility, it embodies Copenhagen’s dedication to sustainable urban living.
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