News and press releases

08 september 2010

Køge Kyst takes the best from all five teams

Køge Kyst has now announced the result of the competition for a development plan for the area between the town centre of Køge and the sea. The jury is pleased with the sound basis provided for the further work in the form of strong elements from all five teams - team Vandkunsten, in particular.

Here you can download the jury report.

"The result is extremely promising. We have received several specific bids for how to create an attractive, modern and unique town district interacting beautifully with the old town of Køge. We have also received highly qualified bids for how to implement the vision points."

Such was Mayor Marie Stærke's positive reaction to the five competition proposals, which, having returned after the summer holidays, the Board of Directors of Køge Kyst and a number of consultants have scrutinised, evaluated and discussed with both citizens and stakeholders.

According to the jury report, team Vandkunsten has submitted the most comprehensive proposal for an overall development plan, and the remaining four teams have each contributed to clarifying specific issues of key importance to the work going forward.

Adjoining cultural avenue
The jury was particularly interested in the proposal submitted by several teams for a cultural avenue connecting the town centre and the new districts.

"We find that this type of connection should form the backbone of the development of Køge Kyst and that it should be established as soon as possible. In addition, the proposals are a source of great inspiration for attractive urban spaces such as side streets, squares, activities, etc. that may be established in connection with the avenue," says Jørgen Nue Møller, Chairman of the Board.

Another top priority is the new retail district by the Station Area designed to strengthen retail trade in Køge via its high concentration of shops and close ties to the existing town centre. The initial phases will also focus on the establishment of an attractive commercial environment at the Collstrop Site and residential properties at Søndre Havn.

In addition, the jury wants to continue work on the proposals for buildings that suit Køge and offer sound interaction between new and old, to preserve certain existing buildings and traces of harbour operations and not least to take advantage of the proximity to water and nature.

Crossing the railway
Some of the major challenges presented by the competition were related to infrastructure, traffic and parking facilities - not least the issue of the railway as a traffic barrier.

"We find that the proposal to establish a wide subway under the railway offers the most appropriate level-free crossing for pedestrians and cyclists, and we plan to further analyse a number of proposals for car traffic and parking facilities," says Jes Møller, Project Manager.

Supporting cultural life
The jury wants to implement a cultural strategy activating originators and users of culture and making them interact. The jury is sympathetic towards the ideas of converting the Danish Agro silo, the ØA building, into a culture centre, restoring Teaterbygningen to its original state and establishing a new water sports centre.

Sustainability
Another key element running through the entire process as a common thread was sustainability.

"The competition has resulted in numerous excellent proposals for reducing building energy consumption and promoting health by using green elements and water - and by taking advantage of the closeness to the station to encourage citizens to choose their bicycle, the train or the bus rather than the car. We put great emphasis on social diversity in the form of housing for everyone, not least at Søndre Havn," says Mette Lis Andersen, CEO of Realdania Urban Development.

The jury report, which can be downloaded from Koegekyst.dk, contains the full evaluation of the five proposals and a review of the input from citizens and stakeholders submitted during process. Køge Kyst will now continue work on the final development plan, and citizens and stakeholders alike will be invited to participate in the process.

 

---

 

04 februar 2010

Seven Danish and international teams prequalified for urban development in Køge

Køge Kyst has today published the names of the seven interdisciplinary teams prequalified in the competition to prepare a draft development plan for a new town district in Køge.

Seven teams, whose members include architects, engineers, anthropologists, economists and other specialists from Denmark and abroad, have now been selected to continue in the competition to prepare a development plan for Køge Kyst. The wide range of qualifications meets partnership expectations for interdisciplinarity, and the participation by teams from Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK provides ample opportunity to obtain the requested inspiration from abroad.

A total of 54 Danish and foreign teams had applied for prequalification. Strong interdisciplinarity was one key criterion behind the selection. For instance, the teams were assessed in terms of their references and competences in themes as different as culture and leisure life, retail trade and other commerce, infrastructure, parking, citizens dialogue, sustainability and insight into the economy of large-scale urban development projects.

- Køge Kyst has now selected seven highly competent teams with strong professional skills in a number of fields. And interdisciplinarity is a principal condition for preparing a qualified development plan, taking into consideration all aspects of forward-looking urban development, and the applicants very much live up to our expectations in this context, says Jørgen Nue Møller, chairman of the Board of Directors.

Until 15 March, the seven teams will be preparing a project description, generally presenting the teams' ideas for how to develop the new district in Køge. Based on the team descriptions, Køge Kyst is scheduled to select three teams in April to continue in the competition to prepare an actual development plan for the area. The entire competition will end in the late summer of 2010.

Great international interest
- The large number of strong foreign teams having applied for participation in the competition reveals great international interest in taking part in the development of Køge. This confirms our own opinion of Køge as a town with a host of qualities and possibilities - with an increasingly important position in both the metropolitan area and the Øresund region, says Marie Stærke, Mayor of Køge, with reference to the coming Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link and recent months' decisions to expand the motorway between Copenhagen and Køge and build a new railway line on the same stretch.  

The two-phase competition is a very dynamic form, which rests significantly on dialogue between the participating teams and Køge Kyst. This being the case, the competition brief, now available in its first version on the Køge Kyst website, may be revised during the competition period.

- We have great visions for the development of the new town district in Køge, which is why we have chosen this unconventional form of competition. For instance, we will test a new sustainability tool, which involves all aspects of sustainability - both in terms of the environment, economy, social issues and health. We expect a lot from this, but are obviously also aware that it will only be feasible if we, during the process, have a close dialogue with the competition participants, says Mette Lis Andersen, CEO of Realdania Urban Development, which is behind the urban development project in concert with the Municipality of Køge.

Project stakeholders, citizens and experts will be involved in the process on an ongoing basis. For instance, Køge Kyst will be holding an information meeting on Tuesday, 9 March, which everyone is welcome to attend.

Contact:

For Køge Kyst:
- Johan Bramsen, competition secretary, tel.: +45 21 41 83 37, e-mail: bra@pluss.dk
- Jørgen Nue Møller, chairman of the Board of Directors, Køge Kyst, tel.: +45 21 27 12 72, e-mail: nue@tdcspace.dk.
- Marie Stærke, Mayor, Municipality of Køge, tel.: +45 28 79 20 00, e-mail marie.staerke@koege.dk.
- Mette Lis Andersen, CEO of Realdania Arealudvikling and acting CEO of Køge Kyst, to be reached via Peder Lind Pedersen, tel.: +45 40 42 86 96, e-mail: plp@rdau.dk.


For each team:

1. Tegnestuen Vandkunsten a.o.:
Partner Jan Albrechtsen, tel.: 26795007 / 32542111, e-mail: jal@vandkunst.dk

2. Niras A/S a.o.:
Senior consultant Kasper Brejnholt Bak, tel.: 29238741 / 48104695, e-mail: kbb@niraskon.dk

3. Grontmij | Carl Bro a.o.:
Project coordinator Morten Fabrin, tel.: 43486849 / 27236849, e-mail: morten.fabrin@grontmij-carlbro.dk

4. SLA A/S a.o.:
Architect, cand.arch. Helene Koch, tel.: 32638807 / 33911316, e-mail: hek@sla.dk

5. Astoc a.o.:
Architect maa. Dan Cornelius, tel.: 22900695 / 31235292, e-mail: dc@corneliusvoge.com

6. ADEPT a.o.:
Architect maa, partner Martin Laursen, tel.: 30233012, e-mail: mal@adeptarchitects.com

7. Karres en brands a.o.:
Project manager Marco Broekman, tel. +31 356422962 / +31 626463270, e-mail koege-kyst@karresenbrands.nl

 

Køge Kyst
- Development of a new area that is to open Køge towards the waters of the Øresund (the Danish Sound)
- An area covering almost 24 hectares: the Station Area, Søndre Havn and the Collstrop Site.   
- Establishment of more than 300,000 m2 of newly constructed floor space: 150,000 m2 of residences (approx. 1,500-1,600 new residences), 20,000 m2 of retail premises (approx. 80-100 shops), 100,000 m2 of office space (around 4,000 office workplaces), and 40,000 m2 for cultural activities and public/private services.
- The company behind the development is the partnership Køge Kyst P/S, which was established by the Municipality of Køge and Realdania Arealudvikling.


Vision for Køge Kyst
The vision for the urban development is for:
- the cultural initiatives to act as the driving force behind the project
- retail trade to highlight Køge as an attractive commercial town
- infrastructure to be developed as an asset for the town
- urban renewal, architecture and construction to be distinguished by creativity and high quality
- the citizens of Køge and other players to participate in the project
- sustainability - in the broadest sense of the word - to constitute an overriding principle for the project.

Dialogue with citizens and stakeholders
- The citizens of Køge and project stakeholders will be involved in the development of Køge Kyst on an ongoing basis.
- Stakeholders are found in and outside Køge - e.g. in the areas of housing, commerce, business, investment and building and construction.
- Køge Kyst will be holding an information meeting on Tuesday, 9 March, which everyone is welcome to attend. At the meeting, Køge Kyst will also inform citizens of subsequent citizen involvement, and citizens may ask questions and debate any issues.

 

---

 

Aerial photograph showing the three areas of Køge covered by the urban development project.

14 december 2009

Great interest in the urban development of Køge

PRESS RELEASE
A total of 54 teams have applied for prequalification to participate in the Køge Kyst competition that is to take place in the first half of 2010. The applicants represent a broad international spectrum, with participants from both Denmark and abroad. The Køge Kyst project manager is delighted with the high number of participants.

9 December 2009 was the deadline for applications for prequalification to participate in the competition centred on the development of a new urban area in Køge, Denmark, between the existing town centre and Køge Bay.

Delighted with so many applicants
"We are positively surprised to have received 54 applications from participants from Denmark, other countries in Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. This reinforces our view that Køge and Køge Kyst represent one of the most exciting urban development projects in Denmark. The project will reinforce Køge's central position as a powerhouse in East Zealand with a diverse commercial and business community. In addition, Køge enjoys an enviable location in that it is one of the towns in the Greater Copenhagen Area and the Øresund Region that is centrally positioned in relation to the north/south transport corridor, the new Femern Link, and the new railway connection to Copenhagen. Finally, the area of the town that is to be developed through the project is very well placed in Køge: close to the station and between the existing town centre and Køge Bay," says Kent Jönsson, Project Manager at Køge Kyst. 

"Our development project is complex and requires the participating teams to feature a variety of professional qualifications. We are therefore delighted to note that the majority of the teams that have applied feature a multi-disciplinary composition that will put us in a position to fulfil our vision of developing a sustainable new section of the town - from environmental, social, health-related, cultural and financial perspectives."

Selection of competition participants
Over the coming weeks, Køge Kyst will study all the applications. Towards the end of January the partnership will publish the names of the teams that have prequalified to participate in the first phase of the parallel competition.

"We expect to prequalify 5-7 teams, which will then have until the middle of March to prepare a description of how they intend to work on a development plan for the new part of Køge, and to put forward their proposals for the key approaches. On the basis of these descriptions, we expect to select three teams to participate in the next phase of the competition. The competition itself will be concluded at the end of July, when the teams will present their proposals for a development plan," explains Kent Jönsson.

During the process, the competition participants will be involved in close dialogue with Køge Kyst, local residents, stakeholders and experts. This dialogue will be launched at a programme seminar at the start of February for the 5-7 teams that have prequalified.


For additional information, contact:
Johan Bramsen, Competition Secretary, tel. +45 2141 8337

---

 

Aerial photograph showing the three areas of Køge covered by the urban development project.

30 oktober 2009

International competition for innovative urban development in the heart of Køge, Denmark

PRESS RELEASE
One of the largest urban development projects in Denmark is being launched today with an international competition for inter-disciplinary teams. The aim of the project is to develop the central harbour area in Køge, Denmark, and the development, which is intended to open Køge towards the water, will be carried out in close dialogue with citizens and other stakeholders.

Over the coming 20 years, 24 hectares of Køge are to be developed to create a new, sustainable area between the existing town centre and Køge Bugt (Bay). The development company Køge Kyst P/S, which is a partnership involving the Municipality of Køge and Realdania Arealudvikling, is now announcing a parallel competition for the first part of the assignment: the preparation of a development plan that details the framework for the area. 

The goal of the development project is to realise a range of ambitious visions, while simultaneously taking as its starting point the current advantages of Køge - such as the town's strong business community and its lively, well-preserved mediaeval town centre. Another strength is the fact that Køge is one of the towns in the Greater Copenhagen area and the Øresund Region that is most centrally positioned along the transport corridor between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe.

This position will be further reinforced in the coming years when the new rail link between Køge and Copenhagen reduces the travelling time between the two urban centres to just 20 minutes - and ensures access to express rail connections to the rest of Denmark, Scandinavia and the new Femern connection to the south towards Berlin and Hamburg.


Conscious strategy behind the urban development
"We in Køge have long followed a conscious strategy of developing the core of our town - by establishing a completely new and modern harbour facility north of the town centre. This frees up central harbour areas for development of the new part of town, which will allow us to open Køge up towards the water and create attractive residences, cultural attractions and office premises close to the station," says Marie Stærke, Mayor of the Municipality of Køge.

"In addition, we plan to expand the shopping area in the town centre significantly. In this regard, competition participants are to contribute proposals for alternative solutions for the retail trade of the future, which can match up against any major shopping mall - without actually being one. Participants are also to illustrate how the newly constructed facilities can function side by side with the mediaeval architecture that distinguishes Køge town centre," she adds. 

Dialogue and inter-disciplinary involvement are crucial
Close dialogue with citizens and other stakeholders is crucial to the urban development project in Køge.
"We have chosen a phased parallel competition with great emphasis on dialogue; not only between us and the competition participants, but also with citizens and other stakeholders," explains Kent Jönsson, Project Manager for Køge Kyst, and the man responsible for the urban development project in Køge.

"It is important to us that the teams participating in the competition feature a broad range of qualifications. We hope to see teams consisting of anthropologists, architects, retail trade experts, engineers, artists, sociologists, economists and so on - i.e. teams with the capacity to develop a sustainable new urban area from the perspectives of the environment, health and welfare, culture and finance," he continues,

Køge Kyst is inviting both Danish and international teams to participate in the competition.


Partnership
The requirements on quality and finance are high in connection with the development of the new part of Køge.  It is for this reason that the Municipality of Køge has entered into a partnership with Realdania Arealudvikling. These two parties have jointly adopted a vision for the urban development, which comprises considerations of culture, retail trade, infrastructure, architecture, citizen involvement and sustainability.

"Realdania Arealudvikling's vision of urban development fully matches the Municipality of Køge's. We are working to develop towns centred on sustainability and high quality for the people who are to live and work in them. Our ambition is to contribute to setting new standards for such areas in Køge, where the new part of the town is first and foremost to fulfil the wishes and requirements of current and future residents and users," says Mette Lis Andersen, CEO of Realdania Arealudvikling.

For additional information, contact:

Kent Jönsson, projektmanager, Køge Kyst: kent.j@koegekyst.dk, tel: +45 23 63 72 19
Mette Lis Andersen, CEO, Realdania Arealudvikling, contact via plp@rdau.dk,
tel: +45 40 42 86 96
Marie Stærke, Mayor of the Municipality of Køge,marie.staerke@koege.dk,
tel: +45 28 79 20 00

---

 

Køge Harbour around 1900 – with Skipperkroen in the background. Photo: Køge Archive of Town History

12 oktober 2009

Sailors’ yarns – living history of Køge Harbour

PRESS RELEASE
Over the coming months, Køge Kyst invites you to a number of storytelling evenings under the banner of "Sailors' tales". The first will be held this Thursday, providing an excellent opportunity to experience history as it unfolded in and around one of the old harbour inns.

When you step through the door of Skipperkroen on Køge Harbour, you cannot help but notice the traces that have been left by the numerous events that have taken place here over the years. Skipperkroen has been an inn since 1740.

Claus Philipsen, the current owner, is an excellent storyteller, and this Thursday evening he will be bringing the history of the harbour, Køge and Skipperkroen to life with stories centred around the items that still adorn the inn walls. These include everything from model ships, wreckage from the Battle of Køge Bay, and photos of a great many famous and less well-known seamen who have left their mark on Køge Havn.

Royalty and the Cold War spy
Of course, the Danish royal family also features in the Skipperkroen world, as does the Cold War spy - also known as "The Smuggler King" - who sold cigarettes and spirits to the people of Køge in the immediate post-war years.

You can hear tales of all this and more on Thursday, 15 October, from 18.00-19.00 at Skipperkroen, Havnen 25, Køge. Køge Kyst will be your host, serving beer and soft drinks while the innkeeper tells his tales, and the kitchen will be open during the evening for anyone who would like something to eat, too.

The development will build on the current situation
Over the coming 20 years, Køge Kyst will be developing the central harbour areas in Køge - Søndre Havn, the station area and the Collstrop Site.

"The aim of the development is, of course, to create a modern city area with all the facilities and opportunities this involves. However, the new aspects must be closely linked to the history and the surroundings that already exist. Køge Harbour is a fantastic place, with an authenticity and charm that you would be hard pushed to find anywhere else. This history is important for us to know, and it is just as important to the people who will be moving to Køge as the development progresses," explains Kent Jönsson, Project Manager at Køge Kyst.

For this reason, Køge Kyst has taken the initiative for a number of storytelling evenings centred on the harbour and the sea. These evenings of sailors' tales will be held during the winter at various locations on Søndre Havn - at the inn, the rowing club, the kayaking club and the Tapperiet culture centre. The storytellers themselves will be just as diverse - from local residents to authors, poets and others who love the harbour and the sea.

The first evening of sailors' tales will be held from 18.00-19.00 on Thursday, 15 October at Skipperkroen.

Sailors' tales - evenings of stories about the harbour and the sea
Thursday, 15 October, 18.00-19.00
Skipperkroen, Havnen 25, Køge, tel. +45 5665 0264

Læs mere om Køge Archive of Town History (in Danish) 

---

 

Photo: Køge Archive of Town History

05 oktober 2009

The history of Køge Havn – backed by pictures and bricks

On two Saturdays in October, you can go exploring and find out how the harbour in Køge has developed over the past century. After a guided walking tour of Søndre Havn, which will last about an hour, we will finish off with historical pictures for the adults and a LEGO workshop for the children.

The history of Søndre Havn is familiar to some people, but has been forgotten by others. On two Saturdays in October (10 and 24), you will have the opportunity to take your children exploring in the harbour area to discover what types of workplaces were once located here, for example, and to find out how the area will be developed by Køge Kyst in the future.

A walk - and an historical picture show
The "Grain, coal, boats and beach huts" events start with a walking tour around Søndre Havn. The tour lasts almost an hour, and will be led by Birte Broch from the Køge Archives on 10 October, and by Niels Peter Nielsen, a retired harbour master, on 24 October. After the tour, the group will visit the Tapperiet culture centre, where Køge Kyst will be serving light refreshments. Adults can watch an historical picture show commented by Birte Broch or Niels Peter Nielsen, while children can take part in a LEGO workshop about the harbour, where they will have the chance to use LEGO bricks to build the Køge Havn of the future.

The harbour area in Køge will be developed over the coming 20 years
Development and history belong together. For this reason, Køge Kyst will be exploring the history of Køge this autumn as a lead-in to the future development of the area. The voyage of exploration starts with the two guided tours, and will be followed up with a variety of exciting events for all the citizens of Køge, providing an excellent opportunity to learn all about the harbour, the town and its development.

Køge Kyst is a partnership involving the Municipality of Køge and Realdania Arealudvikling. Over the coming 20 years, Køge Kyst will be developing the central harbour areas in Køge, on the basis of an idea competition for professional players, such as architects and town planners, who are to provide input for the development. In addition, citizens, the business community, retailers and others will be involved in the work, contributing visions, suggestions and good ideas.


Facts about the event

Grain, coal, boats and beach huts
Søndre Havn over the past century. A guided tour of the harbour and picture show in the company of Birte Broch, Archive Manager at the Køge Archives (10 October) and Niels Peter Nielsen, a retired harbour master (24 October).

Time:
Saturday, 10 October, 12.00-14.00.
Saturday, 24 October, 12.00-14.00.

Meeting place and time:
12 noon at the swing bridge in front of Marineforeningens hus, Carlsensvej 2, Køge.

A 50-minute walking tour of Søndre Havn for all the family. The tour will end at Tapperiet at around 13.00, with a talk about the lost stories of the harbour, using pictures from the Køge Archives. At the same time, a LEGO workshop will be held for the younger tour participants. Køge Kyst will be hosting the event and providing light refreshments. Drinks will be on sale from the Tapperiet café.


FACTS ABOUT KØGE KYST
Køge Kyst is a partnership involving the Municipality of Køge and Realdania Arealudvikling.
Over the coming 20 years, Køge Kyst will be co-ordinating the urban development of three central areas in Køge:
the Station Area, Søndre Havn and the Collstrop Site.  

The vision for the urban development is to:

• Allow culture to be a driving force for the development project
• Expand the retail sector and strengthen Køge as a commercial town
• Develop the infrastructure as an asset for the town
• Ensure architecture, construction and urban development of the highest quality
• Ensure the greatest possible level of sustainability in the new part of the town
• Maintain dialogue about the urban renewal with the town's citizens and other stakeholders

---

 

07 september 2009

Guided tours of Søndre Havn (South Harbour)

Søndre Havn is one of the areas that Køge Kyst is to develop into a complex of modern residences, cultural venues, cafés, etc. Over the coming months, you can take guided tours of the area, where a range of new works of art are on display as part of the exhibition entitled KURS: HAVNEN (THE HARBOUR).

In the late summer and autumn, Køge Kyst will be extending an invitation to participate in a range of "art tours" of Søndre Havn. The tours will be led by a guide from KØS, Vibeke Troensegaard - a Project Developer from Køge Kyst - and one of the artists whose works are on display in the harbour area. The guided tours will start every Saturday at 12.30, and the first four tours (on Saturday 12, 19 and 26 September and 3 October) will be joined by the artists Marianne Jørgensen, FOS, Hartmut and Tanja Rau, who will be talking about their own works. In addition, the guide will be talking about the seven other works of art that are on display in the harbour area until 29 November.

The artworks in the Søndre Havn area have been created especially for the KURS: HAVNEN exhibition, which focuses on the harbour, its history, its life and the stories it has to tell. The exhibition takes as its starting point the development that is currently underway in the Søndre Havn area of Køge. It also looks at the harbour as a location from a broader universal and global perspective, in that it can be said that harbours are the same all over the world.

The other part of the KURS: HAVNEN exhibition is on display at KØS on Nørregade.

Photo safari
On the first Saturday - 12 September - the guided tour will be combined with a photo safari, where participants simply need to bring their digital cameras along. In October, there will be additional guided tours and photo safaris, some of which will be intended especially for children, while others will be centred around a particular theme, such as "Harbour life" or "The harbour then and now". The photo safaris are closely linked to the part of the COURSE exhibition that takes the form of a photo-sharing site on the Net: myplace.kurs.dk. Participants can upload their photos to this site and continue to work on them. At the same time, they can participate in the "Photo of the Week" competition, where photos are displayed on Politiken.dk - the website of a leading Danish newspaper.

A sandwich and free tickets to KØS
After the guided tours, Køge Kyst will be serving sandwiches and soft drinks and giving away free tickets to KØS where tour participants can see the other eight works that make up the exhibition entitled KURS: HAVNEN.


Practical information:
The guided tours are free of charge
The tours start at 12.30 - from Havnebassinet (the harbour pool), or at the far end of Søndre Molevej. Check the guided tour in question for the starting point.


The first four guided tours:

12.9. - 12.30
Photo safari for all the family
Start: by Havnebassinet (the harbour pool)

12.9. - 14.00
Guided tour of KØS

19.9. - 13.30
FOS talks about the work "Osloo"

19.9. - 14.00
Guided tour of KØS

26.9. - 12.30
Guided tour in the company of the artist Hartmut
Start: by Havnebassinet (the harbour pool)

3.10. - 12.30
Guided tour in the company of the artist Tanja Rau
Start: by Havnebassinet (the harbour pool)

---

 

Tanja Rau at work on one of the pieces for the HAVNEN exhibition.

02 september 2009

Opening of the Søndre Havn exhibition

Saturday, 5 September, sees the opening of the autumn's great exhibition in Søndre Havn. The event will feature music, a reading by Jens Blendstrup, beer from Braunstein, and OH NO ONO in concert in the evening.

You are invited to attend the opening of the exhibition entitled KURS: HAVNEN at 13.00 on Saturday, 5 September. The event is to take place at FOS' sculptural pavilion Osloo in Åbassinet on Søndre Havn, Carlsensvej (after the swing bridge) in Køge.

The exhibition will be opened by Kristian Ebbensgaard, President of the Regional Council, and Kent Jönsson, Project Manager at Køge Kyst.

Jens Blendstrup will be reading from "Af Sted", and there will be music from Tapperiet and beer from Braunstein. The event will end in the evening with a performance by OH NO ONO. A number of the exhibiting artists will be present during the opening ceremony.

Focus on the history, life and stories of the harbour
The exhibition KURS: HAVNEN will be on display at KØS on Nørregade and in the Søndre Havn area in Køge. Together with the artists who have created new works especially for the exhibition, the event will turn the spotlight on the harbour, its history, its life, and the stories associated with it. The exhibition takes as its starting point the development that is currently underway in the Søndre Havn area of Køge. It also looks at the harbour as a location from a broader universal and global perspective, in that it can be said that harbours are the same all over the world.

In the harbour pool, between the fishing cutters, lies Marianne Jørgensen's Ø (Island), reminding us of the fairytale aspect of the harbour, and the dream of somewhere else. In the Åbassinet pool, FOS has created a floating and involving activity platform entitled Osloo, which takes a future culture centre in the harbour area as its base for presenting a comprehensive programme of radio, concerts, lectures, etc.

Other works refer specifically to the history of Køge Havn and the current situation of the harbour between closure and development. For example, there are Tanja Rau's painted concrete elements and murals that cover a large, deserted area as visual testimony to the history of Køge Havn. The exhibition is part of a new cultural working relationship involving five museums of art in Region Zealand.

Participating artists at KØS/Søndre Havn in Køge:
Peter Callesen, Sonja Lillebæk Christensen, FOS, Henriette Camilla Hansen, Lise Harlev, Marianne Jørgensen, Alexander Tovborg, Ulrik Møller, Randi & Katrine, Morten Schelde, Hartmut Stockter/Katja Bjørn Jakobsen /Phillip Simmons, Tommy Støckel, Tanja Rau

ABOUT KURS
KURS - is a new partnership platform and a new exhibition community involving five museums of art in Region Zealand. The harbour, the burial mound, the lake, the town square and the tree are the landscape markers that the exhibitions are exploring. KØS (the harbour), Odsherred Museum of Art (the burial mound), The West Zealand Museum of Art (the lake), The Museum of Contemporary Art (the town square), Fuglsang Museum of Art (the tree).

At this early stage, KURS looks set to be the greatest art event in Denmark this autumn. Five art exhibitions with works by more than 50 contemporary Danish and international artists will be opened, and it will be possible to visit all five exhibitions on a single ticket. A photo sharing site has been opened under the name of "My Place" - see myplace.kurs.dk. In addition, KURS will be joining forces with the Gyldendal publishing house to publish a large catalogue that will serve as a "sixth exhibition".

Additional information:
www.kurs.dk (in Danish)
www.skitsesamlingen.dk (in Danish)

---

 

10 august 2009

Køge Havn to participate in European harbour competition

Køge Havn will be representing Denmark in the competition for the title of "Europe's best harbour" - measured not by metres of quay or container flow, but by the dialogue with the surrounding society. The competition is being held by ESPO, the European Sea Port Organisation.

Harbours play a significant role in the social economics of Denmark and Europe. But they are noisy, messy and often look too industrial. They take up space as well, often on particularly attractive coastal sites. For this reason, harbours are generally under appreciable public and political pressure. Solutions need to be found that can accommodate harbour operation, commerce and urban development along the coasts.

Harbours must enter dialogue
"The way for harbours to do this is primarily to enter into a close dialogue with politicians and citizens in the towns where they are located," explains Thomas Elm Kampmann, Director of Køge Havn. "And Køge is an excellent example of what such a dialogue can lead to. We have actually come up with a well-thought-out plan for urban development as a whole in Køge. It will double the size of the commercial harbour, while freeing up large areas for development - in the centre of the town and all the way out to the coast. It is a great for Køge and its citizens, and great for us as a harbour."

Køge uniting behind the harbour project
Expectations are high, and local backing is strong. Which is unusual for major urban development projects. "Here in Køge, town and harbour share a long, good history," says Marie Stærke, Mayor of Køge. "So we also have a tradition for working together rather than seeking out conflicts.
Shared goals and true collaboration have now laid the foundations for the plans for the comprehensive renewal and development of Køge Havn. This will, at the same time, give us the new urban area in Søndre Havn, which the company Køge Kyst will be building up over the coming years. Køge is thus set to become even more attractive as a place to live, while retaining its distinctive features as a proud harbour town."

For Køge Havn, the project means a 30 ha expansion of the commercial harbour area.
"It is precisely this that makes the initiative unique - in a European context, too. Everyone wins. The people of Køge will have access to a new beach and an active promenade right by the water, with innovative architecture and all kinds of activities and attractions. And we at the harbour and the surrounding industries will have an area where we can create greater synergies and thus improve business and the employment situation in the town," explains Thomas Elm Kampmann.

On 4 November, the winner of the European harbour competition - the ESPO Award 2009 - will be announced at a ceremony at city hall in Brussels, Belgium. Køge Havn is up against formidable opponents including Barcelona, London, Dublin and Marseilles.

For additional information, contact Thomas Elm Kampmann, Director, on +45 5664 6260.