Grønttorvet, Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark
Valby used to feature a market place for fruit, vegatables and flowers. Now it is being transformed from an industrial area to Copenhagen’s greenest neighbourhood.
Project fast facts
- Location
- Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Client/developer
- FB Gruppen
- Status
- Completed in 2021
- Size
- 160.000 sqm
- Services
- Architects
- Cooperation partners
- IngCon | ÅF
In the heart of Valby in Copenhagen, a new urban district is rapidly taking shape. The 160,00 m2 site, which up until 2016 was home to Copenhagen’s fruit and vegetable market – Grønttorvet – is now being transformed into an attractive and diverse residential neighbourhood strongly rooted in the area’s unique history.
For more than half a century, fruits, vegetables and flowers were traded in the large covered market from 1954, where over 800 merchants traded goods every day in a buzzing environment with heavy traffic from vans and visitors. In 2016, the market moved to a new location. Thus, the area in Valby could begin its transformation from industrial district to a visionary and urban neighbourhood.
From industrial district to sustainable community
Grønttorvet is developed by FB Gruppen with a vision to create Copenhagen’s greenest neighbourhood – a distinctive and sustainable district filled with green spaces and a vibrant local community. This vision has been interpreted into the urban planning and architecture of the area, which will comprise more than 2,300 homes, when it is completed in 2021. Thus, green roofs, solar cells, urban gardening and high-quality materials ensure green values throughout the entire district.
The apartments – comprising both private and public housing – have been designed to meet high demands on indoor climate, sustainability, maintaining health, outdoor areas and encouraging social interaction. For example, many of the buildings are designed with rooftop terraces that have greenhouses, making it possible for the residents to grow vegetables and organize common dining and other social activities.
Fruit trees and a green heart
At Grønttorvet the residents live in close proximity – side by side. However, there is still room for activities and movement thanks to the expansive public areas, that create a feeling of space. In the centre of the new neighbourhood – exactly where the former vegetable market was located – a huge public park with fruit trees has been established for the benefit of the entire surrounding city. The park is the green heart of the district, where joint activities and relaxed social get-togethers can be hosted.
The architectural idiom of the district combines details and expressions inspired by classic Copenhagen blocks and industrial architecture, that previously characterized the area, so that Grønttorvet integrates naturally into the surrounding city.
