8House-Day 1-Copenhagen Design Week Tour

Continuing the morning tour we arrive at the 8House in Orestad via the Orestad Metro stop. Our tour guide will be Nathan Smith, Biz Dev Mgr. for BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) for this project.

8House

The 8House’s intention was to improve city life within the boundaries of the building site. On the lower floors are commercial offices, a child care center and a cafe. The upper floors are 476 housing units with balconies that are arranged in such as way that it winds around a figure 8 ending in penthouse apartments at the top. This is a project that will appeal to those who are not shy as views are directly into each apartment from the “street” pathways. What I can’t stop remembering is how quiet the project was for having so many people living in such close proximity to one another.

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After an escape from the pending rainstorm in the cafe for coffee, our Big (not to be confused with the Architects) Purple Bus arrives to caravan us to our next stop; The OSRAM culture Center and the Green Lighthouse.

We wouldn’t want you to miss out on the most significant cultural aspect of Copenhagen; bicycling. Currently, 45% of the citizens of Copenhagen use bicycles as their means of transportation. They have created bicycles to carry children and groceries and other necessities of life. The streets are well delineated for pedestrians, bicycles and cars; they use the hand signals for turning consistently and they have perfected this; just ask them, they will tell you if you are in the wrong.

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Think Human at the Copenhagen Design Week 2011

Aboard the ship "Havet" for Copenhagen Design Week 2011

This month, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark invited American Architects to attend their sponsored AIA/IIDA tour during the Copenhagen Design Week 2011. Danish design always appealed to me for their modern warmth and clean design solutions, so bags packed I left on August 31, 2011 for 10 days to Copenhagen, Denmark to learn about their culture and the design of Scandinavian architecture.

Arriving Sept. 1 at 7 am at CPH Airport, we catch the train to downtown (I had invited my lovely husband/arm-candy/photographer and IT dept) and arrive at Copenhagen Central Station. Quickly checking into our Marriott, we set off on foot to find our tour group on board the Havet ship at Kvaesthus Pier.
DAY ONE TOUR SCHEDULE
9-10 am: Morning Talk with Architect Andreas Klok Petersen, BIG Architects
10-12 pm: Welcome and introduction of Copenhagen Design Week ‘Think Human’ exhibition.
1-3 pm; Tour of ‘Eight House’ by BIG Architects
4-6 pm; Green Light House + OSRAM Culture House
7:30 pm; Welcome Dinner at Restaurant Paustian
9-11 pm: INDEX after party

Our walk to the Pier from the Marriott is one of the best experiences as we are in a new city for the first time and everything is intriguing and a wonder.

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After a presentation of the ‘Think Human” exhibit from the Copenhagen Design Week Curator, we were off to the Metro to visit Orestad and the “Eight House”.