CITY OF TOMORROW

As Copenhagen builds on its sustainable success, architect Dan Stubbergaard is championing innovative public spaces and neighborhoods for generations to come

- SAM COCHRAN 

Few cities stir as much hope in our eco-friendly hearts as Copenhagen—a utopia of bike lanes, pedestrian thoroughfares, and swimmable waterways, the envy of urbanites the world over. But architect Dan Stubbergaard of the local firm Cobe remembers a time, not long ago, when that wasn’t the case. Growing up in the Danish capital, he encountered a postindustrial landscape in decline, with whole stretches of its harbor fenced off. “The dramatic changes of the past 20 years have turned this into a fantastic place to live,” he says. “Now the question is, What are the next layers?”

Today, Stubbergaard and his team are leading that conversation— revitalizing parks, plazas, and entire neighborhoods as common ground for future generations. “Copenhagen is being densified, which is positive, but you need to generate capacity that’s successful,” he reflects, referring to the delicate balancing act of growth, inclusivity, and sustainability. If the past decades have been dedicated to harbor renewal and public transportation, then the next, Stubbergaard anticipates, will be devoted to public space.