With the industrial boom in the 1800's, a number of companies moved into the area, since their extensive land requirements and environmental impacts prevented them from finding sites within the ramparts. These firms included dye and glue factories, metal works, chemical plants and Denmark's largest ropewalk (which in the 1960's was converted into a shopping centre).

From the end of the 1800's, many 5-storey blocks were erected on the site, and these still account for a significant proportion of the neighbourhood's housing stock. In the 1920's and 1930's, a number of new housing blocks were built, and the 1970's and 1980's saw the advent of larger housing estates, predominantly on former industrial sites.

The main goal for the project was to stop the negative economic and social development of this worn-down old industrial neighbourhood and kick-start a new and positive development. In the Neighbourhood Charter, the participating citizens set out their rationale as follows: "As the basis for proposals for physical changes and refurbishments in the neighbourhood we have sought to draw on the existing contrasts and diversity of dimensions, lines and architectural features as a source of inspiration. In our opinion, these are fundamental to the dynamic and strengths that characterise the neighbourhood of Holmbladsgade. With its mixture of housing, industry and public institutions, the neighbourhood possesses attributes that are unique in a city such as Copenhagen."

The following problems marked the urban district as a deprived area: •

Kvarterløft is an area based and multidimensional approach to urban renewal that is experimenting with bottom up processes, with decentralising the initiative to local stakeholders and with empowerment of the citizens and the local communities. This district was selected since it was an old worn-down working class neighbourhood that needed a physical and social lift.

The neighbourhood regeneration process
A neighbourhood plan prepared by a number of working groups and approved by the steering group was approved by the City Council in March 1998. The plan primarily contains a number of ideas for improvements of the physical environment, establishment of a neighbourhood centre, establishment of drop-in centres, etc., but also for social activities and measures in trade and industry and employment. A number of these projects have now been or are being implemented.

82 per cent of the local residents in Holmbladsgadekvarteret regularly read the local paper "HolmBladet" (Gallup A/S. November 01). This impressive figure stresses the impact that the paper has had regarding the provision of information to local residents about the neighbourhood regeneration project and the creation of a dialogue about and interest in the various projects and activities.

A former industrial building in Jemtelandsgade has functioned as a base for the neighbourhood regeneration project since the start of the neighbourhood regeneration process. In addition, several of the municipality's players in the area have moved into the building. This includes the Health City project and the social project for residential areas known as the Project Base.

In August 2001, the neighbourhood regeneration project inaugurated a conversion and extension of the house, which is now also home to Sundby Library, Amager Ungdomsskole (continuation school), a café, club and community centre premises, so that the building is an actual neighbourhood centre.

The bottom-up process and the involvement of the citizens is very important for the success of the project. No efforts were carried through without the support of the citizens. Secondly the project had sufficient resources to make a difference and to make visible changes. And finally it is a multidimensional, cross-sectoral approach, that tried to solve the specific problems in this area. Involving immigrants, involving private business, creating jobs and solving problems with unemployment were some of the less successful parameters of the regeneration.

With its programme for Neighbourhood Revitalisation, the city of Copenhagen has deployed a radically new planning model. In the first phase of the projects, citizens in the neighbourhood were assigned the task of drawing up a plan for the future of their neighbourhood and presenting visions for improvements to living conditions and physical surroundings, and for building the neighbourhood's image and social and cultural networks. This undertaking involved residents, businesses, local public institutions, organisations and associations.

The work resulted in a Neighbourhood Charter, which was subsequently presented to public officials and policy-makers. Both central and local government have endorsed almost all the objectives and activities and projects proposed in the citizens' Neighbourhood Charter. A number of urban planning issues will naturally impinge on the Neighbourhood Revitalisation project. Consequently, special traffic plans have been drawn up, in which the wishes for local improvements are considered in the context of regional and national traffic plans.

The project is an integrated project that involves most of the departments in the administration in the city of Copenhagen. The introduction of planning based on an integrated and holistic approach has, as might be expected, created difficulties in terms of coordination with public services, which are characterised by sectoral divisions and scant tradition for cross- sectoral approaches.

Cultural and Sports Charter
The most characteristic feature of the neighbourhood regeneration project in Holmbladsgadekvarteret is that – as the first neighbourhood in Denmark,– the neighbourhood has an overall plan for the cultural and sports facilities in the area. The plan has been prepared on the basis of co-operation between the Danish Foundation for Culture and Sports Facilities LOA and the City of Copenhagen. The plan is an expression of a desire for cohesive and holistic initiatives and activities in the area of culture and sport. After the preparation of the plan, the local residents participated in deciding which projects were to be realised. Examples of the projects with the highest profile are a culture and sports centre in Holmbladsgade, a maritime youth centre at Øresund and the conversion of Prags Boulevard into a park and activity high street with good opportunities for physical activities.

The projects are financed jointly by the City of Copenhagen and the Danish Foundation for Culture and Sports Facilities LOA. The implementation of the plan is handled by a steering group consisting of representatives from the local area, the City of Copenhagen and the Danish Foundation for Culture and Sports Facilities LOA (a quasi-private foundation).

Outdoor events such as neighbourhood festivities are fostering a local identity and a sense of community, and the work done on new squares and precincts to promote use of public urban spaces in an entirely new way.

With these initiatives, the Holmsbladgade neighbourhood has ushered in some of the trends that in recent years have turned around other districts of the capital, and which to a great extent have meant that the neighbourhoods surrounding the city centre have wrested back their identity, appeal and visibility so that in the future a strong foundation will exist for urban progress and the fostering of social networks that will prevent such neighbourhoods from being trapped again in a downward spiral.

The Neighbourhood Revitalisation Project has achieved establishing outdoor meeting places and squares, a naturescape playground, and a community centre, around which all the many emerging activities in the neighbourhood will naturally revolve. The community centre houses a library, youth club, projects and voluntary associations and networks. At the same time, properties in the neighbourhood are undergoing a comprehensive maintenance and refurbishment process based on both public neighbourhood grants and private co-financing.

Furthermore, regeneration project has resulted in the conversion of an old, forgotten boulevard into a thriving parkland and activity precinct, the establishment of a cultural and sports centre and a maritime youth centre. Concurrently with the comprehensive changes to the facilities for social, cultural and sports opportunities, a number of projects and associations have been established, such as a multi-ethnic cultural café, a creative workshop, a meeting place and mobile site hut for the neighbourhood's alcoholics, youth clubs for young people with no roots and threatened by criminal tendencies, the acquisition of a communal neighbourhood bus, the creation of networks for neighbourhood businesses and more.

In the environmental domain, work has been done on ecological urban renewal, green accounting for properties, businesses and institutions, and the involvement of children and adolescents in the debate on a sustainable future. “The Environment in Arabic" is a project that aims to improve the environmental awareness of Arabic-speaking refugees and immigrants. The project activities have included the translation of information material about water, energy and waste.

Primarily the residents of the area and secondly the entire city.

Financing: 178 million for housing and open space improvements 45 million for holistic projects 15 million for involvement of residents, information and secretariat 105 million for Culture and Sports Plan Total 343 million.

Municipality of Copenhagen, Secretariat of the Kwarterloft Area
Njalsgade 13, 3. sal, vær. 329
DK-2300 Copenhagen S
Denmark
Dan Mogensen, tel. 0045 33 66 27 27

01/08/1997

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Community development