A HARBOURSIDE REVITALISATION
27 Jun 2019
The neglected Esbjerg Bypark, a historic harbourside greenspace in Denmark, is set to undergo an exciting revitalisation thanks to a design plan from Henning Larsen. The plan aims to create a green cultural framework that will reshape Esbjerg’s urban identity and will reconnect the city back to the environment, once more making the park a key landmark of the city.
Henning Larsen won the open competition for the revitalisation of Esbjerg Bypark and will be completed in collaboration with Berlin-based landscape architects Topotek1, artist Eva Kock and engineers Ingeniør’ne.
Esbjerg Bypark is in the south of the city of Esbjerg, the fifth-largest city in Denmark located on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula. The park was originally constructed back when the city was founded, when residents planted fir trees along the steeply sloping waterfront to prevent coast erosion. As the city began to grow so did the harbour, cutting off public access to the waterfront and leaving the park in disuse. The park became overshadowed by residential construction and the concrete bunkers that were installed in WWII.
In the 1990s Edbjerg’s Music House and Art Pavilion was established, pushing the park further away from the public as crowds were pushed to the city centre.
The new 30,000 square metre design aims to emphasise the park’s existing attributes by adding new paths, plants, landscapes and water features to renew the park and bring it back to being a key landmark of the city once more.
The revitalised park aims to create a cultural and social hub between the city centre and harbour, providing the community with a “respite from the industrial surroundings”.
The existing amphitheatre will be extended to great a colossal staircase between the city and the port, creating a centrepiece for the park that will act as an event space, leisure point and playground. A large pool of water will also be incorporated, dubbed as the “mountain lake”, which will be situated in a concrete plinth that can be transformed into a stage for event or used as an ice-skating rink in winter.
The concrete bunkers beside the amphitheatre will be transformed into backstage areas for artists and performers, with remaining bunkers used for pop-up shops, stalls and storage.
“We didn’t design a park because the park was already there,” says Salka Kudsk, Head of Landscape at Henning Larsen. “Instead, we are reconnecting the city back with its environment. It was initially practical, holding the sand in place and protecting the city from the wind. Over the years, it became a gathering place, but this identity has become less strong in recent years.
"Now it will once again be the heart of Esbjerg, offering sensory experiences all year round – a stark contrast to the surrounding industry, sea and farmland.”
The water features will relink the park’s relationship with the waterside and will play into the key elements of the park’s revitalisation. The combination of the harbour, the running water, the mountain lake and the sea air will renew the space and create a connection to the water. Each element will create a focal point for the community and will activate the entire space.
The design is currently on display in the Esbjerg Music House, where it is open to public view.
Images courtesy of Henning Larsen