Most of the time that we visit old cities, we tend to focus on the “old town” areas and the older aspects of the city. You can’t really do that in Copenhagen. As we traveled the older parts of town, new buildings were everywhere. And I would say that many of the new buildings were very interesting from both architectural and many other aspects. I’ll try to convey some of those things in this post.

The Copenhagen Opera House is the first photo. It’s also the national opera house of Denmark. It was constructed from 2001 to 2004 at a cost of over $500 million US dollars. It’s located on the island of Holmen right in central Copenhagen. We passed by this building both from the front and the rear but never got to go inside it. It looks quite different from different angles but it is a striking building from all angles.

The Silo is the second picture. As our country struggles with a housing crisis, we might learn some things from the Scandinavians. The Silo was formerly a grain silo. Today it is a residential building with 17 stories of apartments and public areas. On top of the building is the Restaurant Silo with a 360 degree view of Copenhagen with floor-to-ceiling windows. This building is in an old industrial harbor area, now an upcoming neighborhood. They could have torn down the grain silo and replaced the entire building but they chose a different idea.

A Copenhagen waste-to-energy recycling plant is in the third photo. It was built to introduce a more sustainable waste management to the city. A smokestack will emit a ring of smoke every time a ton of carbon dioxide is released as a visual reminder of the city’s energy consumption. But in addition, the roof will be a recreational ski slope with access by an elevator that provides a view of the building’s interior. So how great is that. A ski slope right in town with a free ski lift and people learn about their energy consumption while they get their lift to the top.

Superkilen Park is in the fourth photo. This is a 355,000 square foot urban park. It’s conceptually divided into three different zones of activity: the Red Square for sports, cultural activities, a café, and a weekly marketplace; the Black Square is an urban living room with fountains and benches where local meet and play chess or backgammon; and the Green Park with its green landscape and playground where families with children can meet for picnics, sports, and walking their dogs. This park is part of a highly diverse neighborhood and the park had input from more than 60 nationalities. Here you can experience a fountain from Morocco, a sculpture from Japan, climb into a boxing ring, ride your skateboard, or ride the bicycle lane that runs through the entire park. The park was completed in 2012.

I just threw in the last photo because I couldn’t help it. It’s the Hotel Chocolat. We didn’t stay here and only took a quick look. It has a cocoa bar, a café, an open kitchen where they make their chocolate from beans imported from their own plantation in Santa Lucia, and a cocktail bar. What more could anyone ask for?