The Post District: An Open Letter to the City

A cluster of tall, cylindrical towers – almost reminiscent of silos – rises above the Post District. Two are residential towers of 23 and 29 stories, with around 160 rental apartments between them. Two others are home to Locke Copenhagen, offering apartment-style hotel accommodations with private kitchens and bathrooms. The tallest of the towers currently standing reaches about 107 meters.

Next door is the much lower, but equally round, The Health Club, home to clinics, Postbyens Læge – the doctor’s office in the Post District – a café, and more.

From Postal Hub to Urban District

The towers stand on a site that was devoted to postal operations for around 100 years. Beginning in 1912, the former postal site served as the hub for mail distribution across eastern Denmark, and the Danish postal service had its headquarters here until 2015.

When the postal service moved out, the sorting terminal was demolished. The historic Central Post Office building was preserved and is now home to Villa Copenhagen.

Once closed off from the surrounding city, the site is now open and accessible from Bernstorffsgade, Tietgensbro, and Carsten Niebuhrs Gade. The red brick of the old postal building is also echoed in several of the newer buildings, creating a visual link between past and present.

Between the Round Towers

Walking paths wind between the towers, passing trees, benches, and planted beds. Here you’ll find places to eat, a large fountain, and an almost hidden playground that offers children and their parents a playful reminder of the site’s history – complete with a yellow postal van, a red mailbox, and a slide.

The Post District’s history beside the railroad is also reflected in its materials. Concrete, oak, and untreated steel recur throughout the area, while patterns in the paving draw inspiration from rails, railroad ties, and track switches.

The district is also home to The Stamp office building and Danske Bank’s headquarters, where you can step inside a soaring 43-meter-high space that includes a small museum dedicated to the bank’s history.

At the very edge of the Post District, you can settle onto a bench and look out over the railroad tracks.

Near the Post District

Close to the Post District is Bymilen – the City Dune, an elevated green urban space with winding paths and landscaping – as well as KB32, a former railway freight hotel in raw concrete that has been transformed into an office building. Nearby, you’ll also find Kalvebod Bølge, a waterfront promenade with space for both recreation and relaxation. You can also walk along Det Grønne Strøg, an elevated green connection that runs toward Dybbølsbro and across the roof of IKEA.