henning larsen plans fælledby, copenhagen’s first all-timber neighborhood

henning larsen architects plans fælledby, copenhagen’s first all-timber neighborhood designed to accommodate 7,000 residents as well as 40 percent undeveloped nature. illustrating how new developments can combine sustainable architecture and environmentalist principles to serve people and animals alike, the project will be entirely timber construction, with individual buildings featuring birdhouses and animal habitats integrated within the building façades. the proposal transforms a former dumping ground site just beyond the city center into a model for sustainable living balancing human priorities with a strong commitment to the natural surroundings. all images courtesy of henning larsen architects

henning larsen‘s new fælledby neighborhood merges traditional danish urban and rural typologies to create a hybrid that balances the city and its natural surroundings. the project will be developed in phases to maximize access to nature for residents and allow the landscape to be organically integrated in the site, growing outward from three distinct ‘cores’ that together frame the neighborhood at large.

‘deciding to build in the natural landscape around fælledby comes with a commitment to balance people with nature. specifically, this means that our new district will copenhagen’s first built fully in wood, and incorporating natural habitats that encourage richer growth for plants and animals,’ says signe kongebro, partner at henning larsen. ‘with the rural village as an archetype, we’re creating a city where biodiversity and active recreation define a sustainable pact between people and nature.’

developed in collaboration with biologists and environmental engineers from MOE, the plan preserves 40 percent of the 18.1 hectare project site as undeveloped habitat for local flora and fauna. green corridors draw the surrounding landscape into the masterplan, dividing fælledby into three smaller enclaves. these corridors allow residents increased and direct access to nature, but more importantly, allow the animal species of amager fælled to move freely through and within the area. additionally, nests for songbirds and bats are built into the walls of houses, new ponds in the center of each of fælledby’s three communities offer a habitat for frogs and salamanders, and community gardens create new flowers to attract butterflies, wholly integrating nature within the masterplan.

henning larsen’s timber-construction proposal aims to reduce the carbon impact of the development, since, compared to alternative materials such as steel or concrete, timber captures and stores CO2 during its growth – as a building material, it actively removes CO2 from the environment as it is produced. fælledby takes shape as three radial neighborhoods, each one encouraging a more intimate, small-scale sense of community to flourish. native-planted green swathes run between these three mini-villages, ensuring free movement for local wildlife and weaving the natural landscape into the core layout of the larger fælledby community. from any given residence, nature – untamed and indigenous – is less than a two-minute walk away.

‘like the traditional rural village, the fælledby masterplan stands for itself within an open natural landscape. this gives an opportunity to create a setting that is uniquely sensitive to sustainability and natural priorities,’ explains kongebro. ‘we see a potential to build a new city that speaks to the sensibilities of younger generations, to create a home for people seeking a solution on how to live in better harmony with nature. for us, fælledby is a proof of concept that this can indeed be done.’