Islands Brygge, Case Study for Seattle?

This is Islands Brygge, a fantastic waterfront promenade and series of parks along the main harbor in Copenhagen. It is just a few blocks from my apartment, and I spent this sunny autumn afternoon exploring it. The name Islands Brygge comes from the days when the harbor was still a working waterfront, and there were many Icelandic boats docked here. I am writing about this place because I think Seattle could benefit from a close look at a former industrial harbor, which is now a place for recreation.

Islands Brygge addresses many of the issues that Seattle will need to consider once the viaduct comes down: a roadway for motor vehicles, as well as bicycles, buses and pedestrians, a former railway that has since been abandoned, intersections with connecting streets by which pedestrians will access the site, and the ruins of infrastructure that is no longer in use. The scale of the open space here is almost identical to that which will be created when the viaduct comes down.

Here is a photo of Islands Brygge in 1955 (from http://www.islands-brygge.com/)

Islands Brygge is the site of one of Copenhagen's most popular summer hangouts, the Harbour Baths. The baths provide a safe place to swim within the harbor. Right in the middle of the city! The water is clean enough to bathe, except occasionally after heavy rainfall.

The next stop along the promenade is a small skate park and basketball court that is always full of teenage boys.

Another water amenity is this kayak game. I'm not sure how it works, but I'm imagining something like water polo, only with kayaks.

In a couple of places, the open stretch of cobbles along the waterfront is filled with single-story buildings that house cafes and amenities. They are small enough to not block the view for the rest of the neighborhood, while providing meeting places, and shelter from inclement weather.

Trees, sculpture (remnants from past industrial structures), and benches provide a change in scale, and create small outdoor spaces to hang out in.

Ok, I'm honestly not sure what this old wall is from, but it may be part of the old railway that ran along the waterfront here. Behind the wall, there are small courts for bocce, and structures for kids to play on. On the right, a single rail car still sits on the tracks of the otherwise abandoned railway.

The park eventually opens up onto a grand lawn space, where many people seem to take their dogs out to go to the bathroom. There are trees planted here, but for now the lawn seems massive compared to the cozier spaces at the beginning of the promenade. I'm sure it fills up on sunny summer days, however.

Marking the end of the promenade are the old grain silos, which have been converted into apartments. The building is a little unwelcoming at ground level, but it serves as a marker for the relatively new pedestrian/bike bridge that crosses the harbor. Though it is rare for ships to pass through the harbor these days, the bridge is built so that half of it pivots around a single point, allowing boats to go through. It is hard to tell, but the bridge is partially open in this photo.

Looking back on Islands Brygge from the other side of the harbor.

I'm not sure that all of these ideas could translate directly to Seattle. This waterfront promenade lines a quiet residential neighborhood, though it is nearly in the heart of downtown Copenhagen. I think the most important element of this project is the fact that there are spaces for everyone: teens, children, elderly people, joggers, mothers with strollers, swimmers... The most successful spaces are not the biggest and the grandest. They are the cozy places for sitting, having a cup of coffee with friends, or watching while your kids play. I really appreciated the attention GGN paid to the creation of smaller, cozier spaces for their Seattle waterfront presentation. I hope that James Corner Field Operations will take those ideas into consideration when designing a new waterfront for Seattle.