Gottlieb Paludan Architects has been the project engineering architects on a tract of parkland in the newly built quarter at Royal Arena in Ørestad South.

The stretch of parkland traversing the Arena Quarter in Ørestad South extends from the open expanses of Kalvebod Common to the dense urban development at Ørestads Boulevard. The focus has been on creating runoff solutions for rainwater management to harvest rainwater from the roofs of surrounding buildings and direct it to a blue tract that changes nature from east to west, from an urban flume in its in-situ cast concrete to a more scenic channel. In project-designing the planting, the focus was on local growing conditions, and the choice of plants was made taking inspiration from the vegetation on Kalvebod Common.

The tract thereby underscores the identity of the quarter as a place where the city, suburbs and nature overlap. The green townscape is the edging along the surrounding development of a promenade with a plethora of spots to linger. With its spaces of varying nature, the tract has also been attributed the role of an urban common in the quarter around the new Royal Arena. Accessibility has therefore been important, not only in terms of physical access but also in ensuring that the park has been made resilient and spacious enough to host the many different forms of activity.

Photos and drawing: Gottlieb Paludan Architects