Wellbeing + Water

In Copenhagen, there is a large emphasis on human welfare and wellbeing. From hospitals to streets, health is prioritized through innovative solutions, such as the harbor baths Islands Brygge and Kalvebod Brygge. These baths promote a healthy and communal way of life, a very Danish perspective on how to live. In Copenhagen, health is wealth. To implement large scale publicly funded projects such as this, the Copenhagen Government had to look at a top-down strategy with specific tactics to ensure the longevity and successes of the project to mediate the interfaces between land and water for the purposes of human recreation and everyday life.


Strategy: Changing perception

Tactic: Cleaning water and promoting projects

Copenhagen’s City Archive alludes to a heavy fact relating to the previous state of the harbor baths: “when the fish cannot be in water, the children cannot swim in it (Copenhagen’s City Archive).” It is interesting to ponder a time when the water in Copenhagen was so polluted and comparing it to the destinations they are today. Historically, the harbors were dirty and polluted and swimming in them was illegal. To make swimming in them enticing again, Copenhagen invested into a “mechanical, biological and chemical wastewater treatment (to) removes nutrients, salts and minimizes discharge of heavy metals,” along with other water treatment methods (State of Green). 

Strategy: Diversifying projects

Tactic: Building interesting architectural sites

With the public ready to swim, Copenhagen needed somewhere for them to swim. To avoid crowding and favoritism of swimming spots common in smaller cities, it was decided to create 6 bathing zones to disperse swimmers (City of Copenhagen). The strategy to diversify projects throughout the 6 bathing zones was promoted by the tactic to build interesting architectural sites to visit, making each one a destination.

Strategy: Long term plan

Tactic: Harbor baths as Copenhagen identity 

With investments into public health through infrastructure, cities are able to become healthier and happier, which in turn make the cities equitable and stable (Copenhagen’s City Archive).” Now that the Copenhagen harbor baths are an identity of Copenhagen, the longevity of the success of the projects is guaranteed through the happiness of the users.

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