Architectural landmark for children

Kids City Photo Danish Architecture Center
February 3, 2020

From 7 February to 20 May 2020, children and adults will be able to get an idea of the architectural qualities of Copenhagen in a universe of selected urban landmarks especially for children.

  • The Danish Architecture Centre (DAC) has created an exhibition that will “focus on how Copenhagen has achieved its status as one of the best places in the world to live for children”.

    A city for children is a city for everyone

    Families with children are increasingly choosing to live in the city, and it has been predicted that, in about ten years, 18,000 more 0-15-year-olds will be living in Copenhagen. This has spurred DAC to ask what makes a city a good place to live? Is it good daycare, interconnectedness, sea swimming pools, playgrounds and beautiful towers? Is it being able to bike to school yourself and being able to find a good hospital if you get ill?

    With Kids’ City, DAC is aiming to ask these questions through fun and play, in a village-like universe of giant chairs, upside-down houses, open spaces and winding bridges, like Dissing+Weitling’s Bicycle Snake. As the press release from DAC says: “(.....) if a city is good for the youngest in society, in principle it is good for everyone. It’s all about inclusiveness and versatility, about development of the welfare state and community: it’s about more than just buildings and cars".

  • Bike Snake Copenahgen V 2014 DISSINGWEITLING
  • The exhibition has a miniature version of Bjarke Ingels’ Copenhill for children to slide down, there’s miniature and giant furniture to play with in COBE’s wooden houses, and children can climb Adept’s flexible play structure. You can also listen to the many sounds of the city through headphones, and see what the new wing at Rigshospitalet will look like.

    Architect models and a talk by the Copenhagen City Architect

    Adults can take a closer look at a number of architect models of the city's landmarks. Apart from Dissing+Weitling’s Bicycle Snake, there are also models by COBE, 3XN, Effekt, ADEPT, BIG Architects and MONSTRUM.

    Furthermore, there are audio stories about what makes Copenhagen so special for children and adults, and about children's role in architecture and urban development. All the stories are told by the City of Copenhagen's City Architect, Camilla van Deurs.

    For more information, go to DAC

  • House of culture and movement Frederiksberg ADEPT OG MVRDV 2016 Photo Adam Mørk
    Photo: DAC