♥♥♥♥♥♥ – Politiken

An exhibition about the people, the initiative, and the commitment that change the city. Architects and city planners don’t create our cities. Neither do politicians or big companies. Actually, we as citizenz have big influence on how we use and live in the cities.

In Denmark, we can influence the development of our cities in many ways. We can participate in hearings, take part in debates, and our ideas can become reality with the support of others. These possibilities are available to us because we live in a democracy, based on a strong sense of community, where we make decisions together. The question is – do we take advantage of these opportunities?

This right to form our cities is something special. It is a product of a political development, but also the result of idealists all through history having challenged what and how a city could and should be. Regular citizens have come up with good ideas, gained support and fought for a better city – even when it was not formally possible. And not out of a sense of duty, but because they simply could not help themselves. They want to make something of their city, and they would like us to be a part of that journey.

The common initiative ranges from shorter, volatile activities to lasting transformations of the city. Just one kilometer from here, you will find Havneparken – the harbour park – in the city’s Islands Brygge neighbourhood. This park by the water is the result of the efforts of local inhabitants who were tired of polluted air and industry in-between their homes and the waterfront. These days, the area is one of the most popular places to hang out in Copenhagen, and the image of happy people jumping into the harbour has become iconic for the Danish capital, its values and assets.

No matter what we do, we influence our cities. And we can do it to a smaller or larger degree. Throughout this exhibition, the visitors were able to meet some of the citizens who have made a difference in the cities. They could hear them tell the story of how they came up with their ideas, who helped them along the way, and how our cities have benefitted from it.

Exhibition, debates, tours, and workshops

“Co-Create” your city was much more than an architecture exhibition. Throughout the exhibition period, we opened our doors to events, debates, and workshops inside the exhibition, and we invited visitors to take part in guided tours and activities across the city.