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Copenhagen in Common: Copenhagen as World Capital of Architecture 2023

Exhibition

May 5, 2023 - Feb 25, 2024

The exhibition Copenhagen in Common in 2023 explored how architecture shapes community in Copenhagen. It zoomed in on places where community thrives, asking Copenhageners, newcomers, commuters and tourists where they felt at home.

In Denmark, we have a strong tradition of community thinking and citizen involvement in architecture.

Active, well-designed urban spaces become outdoor living rooms, often serving as the glue that holds a neighborhood together. But how does architecture frame the way we interact? How can it strengthen our sense of community? And when does it do the opposite? Who decides what architecture should look like? And how do we show consideration for those with the greatest needs and the most vulnerable in the city as it grows and takes up more and more space?

  • It was about Copenhagen and it was about communities: those we are part of, those we form in the city, and those we feel we’ve lost. Big and small. From squares and urban spaces, which foster the close-knit community of a village in the big city, to student housing created from old shipping containers with spacious common areas.

    Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen

We zoomed in on Copenhagen and took a closer look at some of the places where communities have had particularly good conditions. We asked Copenhageners, newcomers, commuters and tourists: What’s the best thing about Copenhagen? Where do you feel at home in the city? Which urban spaces have the opposite effect? And we ask the architects behind the projects: What has succeeded? What are you particularly happy with? And what could have been done better?

You could join us on an exploration of Copenhagen and find out what was important to you, to me and to us.

Explore the exhibition

    Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen
    Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen
    Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen
    Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen
    Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen

More on Copenhagen

DAC Magazine

What is the World Capital of Architecture?

In 2023 Copenhagen had been designated the World Capital of Architecture. Danish Architecture Center was the primary partner for the World Capital of Architecture program and throughout the year DAC was the epicenter for a wide range of activities and exhibitions.

Read about the World Capital of Architecture

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What was Copenhagen in Common?

Copenhagen in Common was an exhibition about Copenhagen and communities, exploring how architecture and public space shape how we live together.

When did Copenhagen in Common take place?

The exhibition ran from 5 May 2023 to 25 Feb 2024.

Why was the exhibition linked to “World Capital of Architecture 2023”?

Copenhagen was named World Capital of Architecture in 2023 by UNESCO and UIA, and the exhibition used the city’s traditions of community and civic involvement as its starting point.

What questions did the exhibition raise about community?

It asked how architecture can strengthen community, when it does the opposite, who decides what architecture looks like, and how to consider the city’s most vulnerable as it grows.

Who did the exhibition ask?

The exhibition asked Copenhageners, newcomers, commuters and tourists where they felt at home in the city. It also asked the architects behind the projects.

What should I know if I only read one thing?

Copenhagen in Common (5 May 2023–25 Feb 2024) used Copenhagen as a case to explore how buildings and public spaces can enable—or undermine—community in a growing city.

This exhibition is developed by Danish Architecture Center

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