Classic Copenhagen

The unforgotten

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 20:52:00 +0000

In late November, something unreal happened: the mysterious Nile Decorater got in touch. Alerting me that after a year’s absence (with an apology for being busy, I can relate), new elf-hats were ready for the Nile kids. I rushed to the Nile corner, but there were no hats in sight. Was this all a cruel joke?

And then the other day, when I was late for an appointment, there they were. I decided to dismount and take a quick shot because with street art you never know. It’s here today, gone tomorrow.

Hello! It’s been forever, but we are all still here: Nile kids, elusive Nile Decoraters and tardy bloggers.

Hearing from this old light in my dark, made me feel unforgotten. A welcome opportunity to climb back up on that horse. So much is going on in Copenhagen, and there is finally progress in the fight for the trees too. All it took was five years (at least ten in Sandra-years, I am exhausted!). When I am asked where the tree fight began, the answer is: here on this blog. Blogging about Copenhagen opened my eyes, and once the filter evaporated, everything became sometimes painfully visible. The filter is there for a reason and at times I do miss it, but there is no unseeing now. And you can’t just look the other way, when someone hurts your loved one, you know?

I’ll do my best to stay on the horse, and report on all things Copenhagen more often. For now I just want to wish you a happy jul.

Highlights of Jule/Christmas agony from the past:
Christmas traditions, part one
(Not) Christmas traditions, part two
Jul (2010)
Gay times (2011)
Merry Monday (2012)

Holy crap, the torment. Happy to finally be on the other side. : )

Big hugs!

♥

I am still Charlie

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 11:16:00 +0000

With everything going on in the world right now, it is hard to believe that anyone cares about a cartoon. But here we are again: back to the endless whining and finger pointing because a politician is using the Mohammed cartoon as her personal ipad wallpaper. Who cares, you may ask? Apparently everyone. Even media outside Denmark. I get so weary. It is a cartoon. Ink on paper. Why can’t people get over their hypersensitive selves?

Even saying this out loud, makes people uncomfortable. Maybe even you. Which is the very proof that the cartoons had and sadly still have an important point. I support the free pen. And I am still Charlie.

Links:

Charlie, January 2015

The Mohammad cartoon controversy explained on Wikipedia
Cartoonist Kurt Westergaard attacked, article in The Guardian

The mighty pen, previous post about cartoons

Holy smoke, previous post about cartoons

A car-free canvas

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 12:23:00 +0000

Sunday Copenhagen hosted the annual half-marathon, one of the few occasions where cars are banned, and the streets returned to the people. Last year during the same event, an environmental NGO measured the ultra fine (ultra lethal) particles on average ten times lower than a typical rush hour. This kind of pollution kills 540 Copenhageners every year. It is absurd really, how we insist on clinging to such toxic behavior.

Seizing the opportunity, the local council of Nørrebro prolonged the ban on cars, and had Nørrebrogade opened up to the public after the marathon (and crappy weather) had passed. Turning the otherwise hectic street people friendly with a soapbox race for kids on the bridge, small soccer goals, plants, pavilions and tables with boxes of free chalk for all.

Queen Louises Bridge, with the rescued bunker trees on the corners. Imagine this picture without them? Shudder.

Fat lane vs. fast lane.

Copenhagen by day. Clever supermarket tote bag.

Your money my ass. A Nørrebro classic, even mirrored on the poster.

I started at the bridge and just raised my camera every once in a while, pointing up and down the street. Unable to take it all in at once. The mood was so calm and happy, especially when I reached the yellow part, by Assistens Cemetery. Nature does something to people, the presence of big trees just calms us. Even if we are not aware of it.

Freeeeeeedooooooom.

I love how it is blurry, but you can still tell that everyone in the picture are happy and relaxed.

At this point cars usually race by, sidewalks are narrow along the cemetery and you don’t let your kids play freely here. Seeing it returned to the people was kind of mind blowing. Look at what we could do with this place, if cars were banned more often (or gasp: entirely)?

Slow down! And that goes for cyclists too.

Still, watching the kids was the best part of it all, racing up and down the street, exhilarated like small prisoners set free. A perfect time in life to learn about how public space is allocated and question the status quo.

We all need a reminder that the street is our canvas.

We can put it to better use.

♥

On the fence

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 10:33:00 +0000

Copenhagen is still one big construction zone. In addition to the building boom, making room for new (wealthy) Copenhageners, there is the new metro line. Worming its way through our city, devouring everything in its path (our precious trees, ugh). The new metro line is not just a mess, but a major investment, financed by selling off land and even some of the harbour to developers. Needless to say, I am not the biggest fan. But if it will make drivers leave the car outside the city, and switch to public transport, it may prove worth it.

The metro construction sites are all wrapped in tall, dark green plywood fences. They call it Byens Hegn, the City’s Fence, and have appointed a curator to decorate it with street art. It was just what I called for (back in 2011), a creative way to hide the mess, and yet it has somehow rubbed me the wrong way, so I have been dragging my feet reporting on it.

The concept is that street artists apply for permission, going through a screening process. Then, a spot and a time slot is appointed, the art applied and left there for a designated period. With a few exceptions, the art has mostly been stuffed in off places, while advertising has had the best exposure. Worst of all on Town Hall Square, with its flickering screens and wall-to-wall banners. It just turns me off. That, and the neutering process of asking for permission.

But, were it not for the metro fences, there would hardly be any street art left to look at in Copenhagen at all. So I have finally decided to suck it up and look at the bright side. The big splatter-painted, warped mirror wall on Kongens Nytorv won me over. The Mirror Wave by Frederik Hesseldahl:

By some kind of magic, the mirror turns the mundane interesting.

I may have been seduced by this thing.

Also: I got a new, fancy camera. We are not quite as one yet.

Reflection of the French embassy, classy and ad free any way you look at it. None of that Danish treating people like consumers or cattle. When they had construction done, the scaffolding was covered up in a custom designed lace print, to beautify rather than scar the city.

Freaky and fabulous.

I returned with my old camera a few days later to get the shot I missed the first time around.

Classic Copenhagen summer version 2017.

And I got my beloved macro shot.

Because the good stuff is always in the cracks. Everyone knows that.

♥

Chopped liver

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sat, 22 Jul 2017 01:31:00 +0000

The Danish parliament is situated in Christiansborg, a castle facing the canal in central Copenhagen. It is known to most Danes, as this is where we gather to fight for democracy and let our voices be heard, when those in the castle forget who they work for. As they tend to do.

While the castle itself may be off limits to mortals, the square in front belongs to the people. It is shaped like a half-circle, in an intricately laid pattern of sett stones in granite, flanked by two elevated islands of trees. One with a beloved statue of a resting pig. How could I not have told you about the resting pig? Oh.

First, it pains me that I have to use an image from Wikipedia, but I have not been able to catch the bigger picture at this altitude (spoiler: and now it is too late).

Perfection to the left. The safety rocks were added at a later point.

Island with the resting pig.

A perfect bench for weary tourist legs, and for taking in the scenery. During demonstrations the small island turns into a playground for children, and the trees provide much needed shade.

Hey pig. ♥

When terror entered the vocabulary, large rocks were placed in the outer perimeter of the half-circle to prevent vehicles from accessing the square. The rocks along with the elevated islands of trees have been doing the job perfectly, but someone in the castle had the bright idea to pretty it all up. And here is where it all goes wrong.

Never mind the sum involved to fix something that already works (50 mill. crowns of public hard earned money). What they have come up with is nothing short of a disgrace: The historical sett stones laid out in intricate patterns and colors, will be replaced by pale grey granite. Ten big trees are to be cut down, in the name of the new floor. The islands flattened, and the rocks replaced with pale grey balls. It is beyond bland. A vanity project initiated by a small but powerful elite of mediocre taste, with zero understanding of- or respect for Copenhagen history.

Look at this magnificent floor? My heart.

With an evil fence in the way, so I had to include the crappy piece of paper. Unsee that, if you can.

The stories this floor could tell.

I shot this on the day I was aiming at the trees, of which several had already been chopped down (this disaster has so many levels of pain). Sett stones in granite dated between 1895 and 1922. Half of the square was in shade at the time, so I planned to return another day. Little did I know...

This week they proceeded to disassemble the most beautiful square in Copenhagen.

Strategically timed, as those with the power to question and possibly put a stop to this insanity, like media and professionals, are off on vacation. Their return will be brutal, as I expect so will their verdict, but they will of course be too late to make a difference.

I bet you are eager to see what this will all be replaced with? I give you:

Chopped liver by GHB Landskabsarkitekter. Note the pedestrian island to the left? This is the one:

For no good reason at all, these big trees, providing shade and traffic safety, were not incorporated into the design and will be cut down. Along with the two on the far right corner.

Expect follow-up posts on this atrocity, including color samples of the light floor, freckled with gum, food, stickers, wear, dirt, paint and pollution. Because there is no way this will stay clean for a minute longer than opening day. Where have we heard this song before?

Wising up

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sat, 11 Mar 2017 20:46:00 +0000

When we talked about this back in 2012, I failed to see the point of feminism. I simply didn’t grasp the urgency at the time, thinking “surely gender equality goes without saying?”. I was wrong (it happens).

Because of the many voices speaking up about it, I am now beginning to recognize how ingrained sexism and inequality is in our society. It is everywhere from the daily dose of sexist and patronizing media, to our current government run almost entirely by men. It is unhealthy, and we are all obligated to question status quo and demand change. Women, men, children and even Nile Gods must pitch in.

Young boys and grown men can be feminists too.

Oh, I missed the Nile action!

And blogging.

♥

Womens March Copenhagen

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sat, 21 Jan 2017 21:37:00 +0000

So, yesterday was worse than expected (I mean: Trump?!). The world has taken a bad turn, and it is not just in the US. Not speaking up about it or standing up for basic human rights, is inexcusable. If you are turning a blind eye, you are complicit, simple as that. Today women, men and children marched all over the world. This is what it looked like in Copenhagen:

Gathering on the square in front of the Parliament on a magical foggy day.

There are scary things in the cabinet.

Ovaries trumps hate.

I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change, I am changing the things I cannot accept. #WHYIMARCH

Everyday Sexism Project DK

Say yes to love, say no to sexism.

Make America nice again.

Reproductive rights are human rights.

Did you march today?

♥

The big kiss

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 19:31:00 +0000

On top of the list Things I Forgot To Share 2016, is the big kiss. Remember the troubled bike and pedestrian bridge that kept getting delayed? Inderhavnsbroen, or The Kissing Bridge, as it was nicknamed for its sliding function, just didn’t seem to catch a break. It was close, but no cigar for years, until one summer day.

On July 7th the internet starting buzzing: it is opening today! The City first denied such an event, but eventually caved and announced the good news: the bridge is ready for traffic. The grand and official opening was scheduled for a month later, but what was the sense in postponing such a blessing, for thousands of daily commuters?

The bridge is a crucial link between central Copenhagen, Christianshavn and Amager, without which cyclists and pedestrians have been forced to take a senseless detour alongside heavy traffic. Needless to say, we had been aching for this kiss. So bad.

This new connection forms a straight line from the lakes, a popular bike-route which has prompted the city to widen the bike lanes. During construction we share the available infrastructure, and on this happy day that coincided with a red carpet EU event. Crossing a red carpet on bike, on the sidewalk with smiling police officers standing by. Surreal.

Oh, Copenhagen ♥

Compared to the space the cars next to it takes up (wastes), this widening is not much, but to cyclists it makes a huge difference. It reduces tension and creates safe passage for riders at all paces and of all sizes.

A few shots of the almost-there-hold-it-hold-it bridge.

Pedestrian side of the bridge. A bridge that really feels more like a road, with a wide, bidirectional lane for bikes and separate space for pedestrians. What it may lack in grace, it makes up for in functionality.

Beautiful underbelly, tickle, tickle.

Copenhagernes picking up on the rumors, flocked to witness the first kiss.

First two to cross the bridge: Mayor of trees and bikes Morten Kabell and Klaus Bondam, of the Danish Cyclists Federation:

Second two to cross the bridge: the girls!

A fine moment in Copenhagen history.

The wise delay of this post, gives me the opportunity to follow up with the effect of our much anticipated piece of infrastructure. Six months in, it is deemed a resounding success. Numbers of daily users have by far exceeded all expectations. In November the city announced a count of 14.150 cyclists on the Kissing Bridge, in just one day! It has been attributed a crucial part of the reason bikes outnumbers cars in Copenhagen, for the first time since the 1970s.

No one cares how it long it took to get here, or at what cost. A kiss this good is totally worth it.

Kissing links:

The Kissing Bridge, Classic Copenhagen

The Kissing Bridge, Citylab

Bikes outnumbers cars in Copenhagen, The Guardian

♥

The Bicycle Doctor

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 20:33:00 +0000

Last week I hit the brakes hard by the sight of a parked cargo bike, with an oversized wooden beer crate. So good! I had to fight a honking woman in a toxic pile of metal, to get my shot with the proper distance, but it was totally worth it.

(If ever there was a brewery less deserving of such an honor. Let it be an ode to the vintage edition. The old brewer Jacobsen gave so much to Copenhagen: art, beauty and nature. It is only the current administration, blinded by greed, destroying everything at warp speed. May they burn in hell.)

The fantastic bike was parked next to a bike shop in Nansensgade in central Copenhagen, where I was greeted by the Bicycle Doctor, Odai Darweesh. This is a small and ultra cool bike shop where you can get your bike repaired, or have a new one built from scratch. You start by picking either a new frame, or one of the vintage 1980s frames, which will then be completely restored and looking as new.

Peugeot.

On a wall you may choose from spare parts, like the cut out heart crank (custom made by a Danish metal smith) or the wooden handlebars (handmade in Poland).

Custom made wooden handlebars.

The heart crank with a blurry shot of the good doctor, diagnosing a customer's bike.

The Bicycle Doctor is from Syria (did I mention: foreigners make everything better). And as he speaks English, a young boy asked his mother what the man was doing? The mother replied that he was a bicycle doctor, which is now the name above the door.

But back to the amazing cargo bike, with the giant wooden crate: it is hand built and can be made in any color and with any logo you desire (I am thinking the perhaps coolest Danish brewery Mikkeller needs at least one). It is fit on a long john frame, and is reportedly not too heavy to push. They cost around 20.000 DKR, but the prototype is for sale at 14.000 DKR. Santa, baby...

♥

UNbelievable

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 19:29:00 +0000

Usually, when I feverishly dismount my bike and let out a loud UNbelievable!, it is not a good thing. Today was a happy exception. There were indications that this would happen last month, when I noticed an addition to Queen Louises Bridge.

Do I need to bring you up to speed on our beloved bridge? It is the one connecting Nørrebro with the inner city, where people years ago began to hang out, to take in the sunset and the show. Where the city since wisely reclaimed the space hijacked by cars and returned it to pedestrians and cyclists, by widening the sidewalks and bike lanes, and adding more benches.

Note the suspended wires above.

Vintage postcard from Copenhagen, of the bridge in its former glory. The wide sidewalks are back, and the cars are now down to two lanes, which should really be the maximum in any city center.

The one thing that never worked on that bridge, were the suspended wires for the street lamps. For decades swans have crashed, trying to cross from one lake to the other. The city attempted to improve visibility with reflective discs, but even with that the swans were unable to reach the right altitude, with devastating results.

Over the years I have watched three swans crash, and it just rips your heart out. Swans only mate once, and they stick together: when one is hurt, the other will stand guard. A sight that will haunt you forever. I once asked the animal rescue team if they tried to fix them, but the stress of the treatment is too much for wild animals, so they are put down.

F*cking wires, winter edition.

Last month I noticed new grounded lamps were added to the bridge.

September 21st. Dared we hope?

I located the ones responsible and asked what this was about? "You must be referring to our swan safety measures?" Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Oh. We are back in the dungeon, today was dark, gray and rainy and I was not expecting much from it as I turned the corner to cross the bridge. But then... THE WIRES WERE GONE!

The city did something right, and it made me feel like blogging again. UNbelievable.

One down

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 18:39:00 +0000

Sometimes I wish I could go back to not noticing the urban trees. Even if that meant not enjoying them as much, far as I recall it was a blessing to be (tree)worry-free. The eyes were free to take in other sights (like garbage and street art, bikes, sunsets and confetti). How do I get back to that?

It is not like it hasn’t paid off. Big and irreplaceable trees have been saved, and the constant pressure has even had an impact on local politics. I just miss all the other things. And taking pictures. Maybe I just need a good and long vacation. Preferably in a place where trees are not mistreated and cut down left and right for no good reason. Any recommendations?

(One down..)

End whine.

Haha.

To hell and back

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 12:07:00 +0000

It is the season for festivals, and there is something for everyone. Some of them take place in the city, like puppets for children, jazz for someone not me and Peestortion for the young suburbia, to name a few. Others are wisely placed in designated venues. Of the multitude of offers, one is the only, for me: Copenhell. The rock and metal festival on Refshaleøen, the venue in the wild by the old B&W shipyard.

In chronological order, these are a few of my favorite things:

Getting there. Oh. Biking is recommended, with an easy ride ten minutes from the city centre. From a certain point, the streets were lined with signs, fences and helpful staff on every corner, guiding you safely to hell (and back, even, they were posted there all night).

Easy access and plenty of parking. To the untrained eye, this may look like clutter, but it is in fact in heavenly order: all bikes are standing upright, and in groups pointing in the same direction.

For the bike deprived, there is a special bus: route 666. If you didn’t love this festival already..

Entrance greeting: A field guide of hand signs.

The giant 2000 m2 and 60 meter tall Fenris wolf mural, by Victor Ash, a Copenhagen-based French artist.

The hills, nature’s perfect seating arrangement. From here you have a prime view of the main stage. Trees keeping you safe, as always.

The Royal beer purse (thankfully a Carlsberg-free event). Saving time waiting in line. If only you could save up the trips to the bathroom the same way...

And then there is the crowd. In many ways a festival compares to a small society, with unwritten rules and standards that sets the tone. Copenhell to me, is a perfect example of a healthy society. There is no aggressiveness. Zero! No pushing, no yelling at anyone, no grabbing, no making anyone uncomfortable, no matter how or where you differ. It is somehow universally understood that we all share the love of the music in common, and everything else is just left at the door.

Another thing that really touched me, was how they had made room for people with special needs. Lining the side of the stages were guarded and elevated platforms built for wheelchairs. The grounds tested by wheelchair users before opening, and special paths paved, for access. This is my kind of society: before all rooted in human decency.

I caught an uncluttered moment of the setup. Wolf obviously approves.

A young metal fan on his father's shoulders. We come in all sizes and shapes.

Alice Cooper’s giant Frankenstein. A magic moment, can I please have it back?

A declaration of love.

And then the shitty sky had to burst. Of course it did. And no one told me that the rain poncho’s were sold at the wardrobe. Why did no one tell me? I had to pull out the backup camera. The one where it doesn’t matter as much, if it drowns..

Die hard fans lining up for the next gig.

Thank you, Copenhagen.

If this is hell, I'll see you there. Next year.

♥

Slices of Copenhagen

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 15:32:00 +0000

Unexpected stop on the way home today: "make room for the turning ladies and gentlemen, please."

Escorted in style.

Riding in style.

Turning in style.

It turns out, this is the annual stylish non-sweaty bike "race" Copenhagen Classico, involving beautiful outfits, a modest pace and breaks for coffee and champagne. I was in the wrong lane of this one today.. After the short break in traffic, the friendly guards parted with the words: "Thank you for your patience".

No, thank you!

♥

Coexist

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 11:08:00 +0000

Religion scares me. The never knowing when you break some invisible rule, and unleash unimaginable consequences. I just can’t deal with it. Fortunately, I live in a country where religion is not rubbed in your face, it is a private matter (as it should be), and you are not expected to live by the rules of others. That to me is freedom.

We don’t use our churches as we used to, so quite a few of them have been closed and sold off for other interesting purposes (this deserves a separate post). The remaining churches have to adjust and embrace the modern living. Gays are now able to be married in church (the priest do have the right to opt out, and step aside for a more understanding colleague), and churches are used for concerts and other community gathering events.

My neighborhood has the best churches. Not good enough to pull me in, but they do come pretty close. By Brorson’s Church in Rantzausgade, I had to make a stop for this arrangement: Church benches cut out and mounted on the street fence.

An invitation to sit down and have a conversation with a stranger. As in that friend you still haven’t met.

Church is trying to lure me in..

By Saint Stefans Church (Stefanskirken) on Nørrebrogade they recently had a banner advertising a Dylan sermon, to celebrate his birthday. On Constitution Day this was replaced by a reminder to love your voting rights.

Reads: Love your voting rights. Stefanskirken is the rock star of Copenhagen churches.

And finally religion snug its way into my life, as a picture of mine is now the cover of a book, published in German, about... religion. Remember this shot? My first appearance on the Brooklyn Street Art blog, such a good day.

And now my first book cover photo.

As it happens I am all for coexisting. Let’s just all get along, shall we?

Love is love

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 21:04:00 +0000

I have a lot to say, and I will say it more often in this space, I promise. But for now just this: homophobia is moronic!

Investment and returns

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Fri, 27 May 2016 23:07:00 +0000

Slowly things are returning. The beloved, welded and happy hand-holding street art chairs on the bridge, disappeared over winter. They were left there for a long time, but one day they were gone. And then, by some miracle, they returned. In a fresh lick of paint and with a slight alteration, but still the sweet, happy faces. Squealing-good!

Welcome back my sweet friends, you were missed!

This time they are signed, by Urbansteel_Cph.

And we have seen major development on the tree front. Relentless pressure from citizens and NGOs finally paid off: Copenhagen has adopted its first Tree Policy (as of May 2nd 2016). It is not a quick fix, the obstacles for the remaining street trees are still massive, but it is a big step in the right direction.

When the heat sets in the best place to be in the city, is under a big tree. Remember how we saved these bunkers and trees, with all the blog noise? It was how it all began. Incredible how much has happened since then.

Another big event was the liberation of the Ladytree. The majestic ginkgo in my street, miraculously spared in the new construction plans on the grounds. It was so close to being completely swallowed by ivy that on the day they removed it, they all agreed that it would have died in less than two years. My sweet tree. Five men climbed six floors up, and meticulously removed the ivy. It took them a full day.

Freeeeeeeeeeedoooooooooom.

Before (same time last year):

After:

And it is only just in spring mode. It is going to be interesting to see how it will act unrestrained.

Seriously, I can't think of anything more meaningful in the entire world, than to fight for and save trees. I could do without the constant worry, but it seems to be a package deal. Still trying to work that part out.

And you know what else returned?

MY CAMERA!

Ooooooh, I had no idea just how crippled I have been, until the flip-n-macro returned.

Let the fun commence.

♥

A magic moment

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 16:35:00 +0000

This is my street. I take this road almost every day, and usually my eyes wander to the big old trees on the Sølund grounds. I keep telling the big beech and the Ladytree, that they are home free. And to brace for major disturbance in a couple of years, when three blocks of buildings are to be demolished.

But today something else caught my eye. Down the street a crow was walking alongside an old woman with a walker, keeping her company.

(Side note: Row of cars to the right, used to be a sidewalk. Parking trumps pedestrians. Ugh.)

Halfway down the street, the bird was signalling for a stop, by wandering a little ahead, and giving the stare.

The old lady obeyed, and pulled out a bag of bird snack.

Crows are so incredibly clever.

After dining, the bird and the old lady exchanged looks, and it took off.

I approached to ask what this was about? "Oh, I have two pairs of crows who follow me around," she said. "It is important to be in contact with animal life, even when we live in the city."

What a magic moment.

♥

Bike parking heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 13:28:00 +0000

The suffering of the trees brought me to the tree (and bike-) mayor’s office, and with that I finally got my ticket to bike parking heaven: The in-house bike parking facility of City Hall, designed by Martin Nyrop and built in 1905.

There are no signs leading the way. If you have business there, you know the way, otherwise it is a well-kept secret. I located a ramp at the back of the building, and confirmed with a guard that I was on the right track. Entering City Hall with your bike. I hope they get a kick out of that every day..

I pulled my bike up the ramp, and entered a fancy, guarded reception area. Surely I was not supposed to bring my bike here? But I was. Continuing into the “parterre”, the bike parking level. Pretty sure that my bike let out a squeal.

Employee bike parking facility at Copenhagen City Hall.

Daylight seeping in through a matted glass ceiling, travelling five stories down. They really knew how to design with daylight back then, by the use of balconies.

Sturdy brass-lined ramps, no banging metallic sounds here. Sounds are muffled, with acoustics like a cosy living room. Oh, how I love good acoustics.

No bike parking against the wall. As if anyone have the heart to lean a bike against a corduroy upholstered bench?

(major repressing of backup-camera-whining here, ugh)

Pampering continues with polished copper faucets.

Adding a new word to my vocabulary: parterre. Between the basement and the ground floor.

Looking down the in-house bike parking facility, from the ground level, not a bike in sight. Perfectly planned in 1905, you have to wonder why they didn't continue this way of thinking? Today bike parking is a mere afterthought, in Copenhagen. Even train stations are still built with insufficient bike parking space and outdated solutions. They should know better. After all, they park here every day.

Listen and learn

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 19:17:00 +0000

Something extraordinary happened this week. Remember the 35 year old retirement home Sølund, just down my block? A huge yellow lake view structure in three parts, surrounded by old trees? The city planned to demolish it all and start over, and three years ago they had already picked a winner: a curb-kissing monster sucking out all light and killing all trees on the grounds. Your basic nightmare. They conveniently skipped the part where you ask the neighbors for input, and had already initiated the process of relocating the elderly. At the info-meeting three years ago (almost to the day) the neighbors were not happy.

Mini reflections of current Sølund retirement home.

The neighbors object

At the meeting a young girl stood up and asked why all these vacant apartments (from the relocated elderly) were not used to house students? This question received condescending smiles. My objections related to the trees on the ground. Why could they not be incorporated? At least the oldest, facing the street? Move the line back to the current position? More smiles. As the winner had already been chosen, this meeting was merely considered a formality.

The neighbor-resistance persisted but what finally put a halt to the project, was a few political parties who vetoed the plan due to insufficient parking. Imagine that? Saved by cars. For a long time, half of the apartments were left vacant. The neighbors pushed for homeless students to be allowed in until the city finally caved, and let them in on a two-year lease. This was the beginning of an experiment: would the two generations be able to coexist?

The city decided to start over with a new competition, and this time the neighbors were heard. And, interestingly the concept of mixed generations turned out to be so successful that it became part of the new plan: a mixed facility. By listening, they learned.

Save the Ladytree
My job has always been to save the trees. With 70+ on the grounds, I had to pick my battle, and I focused on the 154 year old Ladytree and the old corner beech. I could just have called it by its formal name: ginkgo biloba, or temple tree, but it is more than that. It is a piece of Copenhagen history, the very soul of the street. No two trees are alike, and they all have their own personality, they should all at the very least be named. To make people care about this tree, I figured it needed an identity.

Step one: create an identity
Being a female (oh yes, they come in genders), I named it the Ladytree. Now she needed exposure. I cut out a giant tree hugger from cardboard, painted and dressed her.

Step two: exposure
The Ladytree (Dametræet) and the tree hugger climbed into the news here and there. The tree was registered by The Danish Dendrological Society (with her proper name, of course) and finally in November last year, the Ladytree made it to the national radio, and was even introduced in a small video.

The outcome
Yesterday the winner was announced for the new Sølund. From the online material I could tell the old beech was safe, but what about the Ladytree? I called the architect, and asked if they had spared the old ginkgo. His reply: “of course we incorporated the Ladytree”. Oh sweet holy mission, so very accomplished!

Saved!

Last night I browsed the winning architect's website, and discovered a picture from one of my roaring Sølund posts. They read my posts!? And they got the message. Ha!

Previous Sølund posts:

Feast your eyes, (the good) May 23 3013

Something rotten (the ugly) May 27 2013

The Ladytree and the rotten potato, September 19 2013
Sølund on Save the Urban Trees

♥

A nice touch

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sat, 23 Jan 2016 18:26:00 +0000

The city of Copenhagen has invested in a little pampering for cyclists. Not something that would make a dent in the budget, slanted trash cans along the bike lane (for easy disposal on the go) and a few nice railings with a foot rest, for leaning and hanging with the (bicycle) family, at a red light. Still, there are stingy voices complaining that this is a waste of public funds, arguing it is not really a necessity. Unlike getting around by car, I assume? That toxic waste of space, claimed by too many, to be something they can't do without?

Yeah, I say spend the funds pampering the cyclists. And watch the goodness evolve.

I like

the way

you

touch me.

♥

The year in pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 18:43:00 +0000

I have been asking myself where the year went. What happened? The pictures bring it all back. What an utterly hellish year, this has been. Globally, locally and personally. No sugarcoating that one. It all ended with the death of the camera, perhaps to punish me for so infrequently pointing it at anything interesting.

January.

Signed Redie.

Plywood decoration on one of the many constructions site fences in Copenhagen. Behind this wall a high rise in the making (Panum Institute), visible from nearly every angle of Copenhagen. This painting is breathing somehow, compared to the neutered versions found on the many metro construction sites, where artists go through a screening process and everything is neatly organized. And boring. Sorry, but it is.

February.

Snow. At this rate, I am not sure we will see that again in Denmark. Reports of blooming cherry trees. In December?

March.

In a picture, the struggle to stay afloat in a world that is crumbling around you. The horror of the attacks in Paris and Copenhagen taking its toll.

April.

From a school yard, just across the happy house. A bittersweet encounter. The human need for nature and watching things grow, is why children cut out soda bottles, strap them to a fence and plant a vertical garden with watercress.

May.

For my own sanity, I need to get out of Copenhagen more. Current mood is that of one being swallowed by a whale (December speaking).

June.
Come June things picked up. Five street artists were commissioned to work on a handful of Copenhagen murals, and my camera was zigzagging between endangered trees (that we miraculously managed to save, yay!) and mad talent firing at five huge walls simultaneously.

Local street art is dying, there is so few traces left now. One of the many sad effects of gentrification. The more reason to cherish the parking guard turned stone snake, on Vesterbro.

Mad love for this creature. Next to it another breath of fresh air.

This one made it to my selection of street art pictures, in my first solo show. On exhibit in Edinburgh, Scotland City Link Festival, earlier this year. The one I forgot to tell you about. I may have to brush up on my horn tooting skills too.

July.

July was the month where I decided to give the dating thing a shot again. Took this picture during it.

Slow down.

Dating wasn't as bad as I remembered. It was worse.

Wild things.

And what may be my favorite shooting moment of the year. Pregnant woman bringing home the crib.

Poetry in motion.

August.

Seine spider in Paris, by night.

September.

October.
(Camera died)

November.

A rare ungentrified patch of Copenhagen, Stengade on Nørrebro. As misunderstood by my replacement camera, but in a totally acceptable way.

When it all sucks, the trick is to find something you love and appreciate the crap out of it. Like a skinny moon under a rescued bunker tree.

December.

This one blew my mind: a heart shaped tree!? Oh.

That's it. Only hours left of this year, I beg of the next one to be gentle with me. With all of us.

♥

I salute thee

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 19:00:00 +0000

This week, my scarf escaped both my bike basket and my attention, and behind me I heard “lady, lady!” (in English). A man came running after me with my precious scarf. So sweet. The next day, as I was taking a really shitty picture with my backup camera (yes, my camera died on me, hence the lacking updates), my bike fell over. A man stopped to help me. A foreigner, as well. Today, I was at the flea market with my Italian friend, and when I got home with all the horribly heavy stuff, my downstairs neighbors, the sweetest couple from Poland, carried it up to my door. Like they have the last three times.

It was then I fully realised how I would not want to live in a city, or even a country, with no foreigners. They just make everything better.

Mission Maple Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 22:26:00 +0000

While it is fair to call me a tardy blogger, I have been a really busy treehugger, with Red Byens Træer (Save the Urban Trees). Yesterday was a milestone for the citizens tree movement in Copenhagen. A sign of a new kind of democracy, with citizens leading by example.

Two weeks ago we learned that nine trees were about to be cut down in a park, for yet another metro line. Red Byens Træer contacted the Metro Company to see if any could be moved. Something that the city is reluctant to try and do not believe will work for big trees, despite evidence to the contrary. We met at the park, where a heartbreaking eight trees could not be saved. Some were simply too big to move, others were entangled in stupid floor lamps. What kind of moron deliberately place electric wiring in the root zone of a tree? Ugh!

The only tree that could be saved was a tall and beautiful 20 year old ash, that we at the time mistook for a maple tree, and that later initiated Mission Maple Tree (Mission Ahorn).

The tree made the front page of a widely distributed local paper, with a plea for adoption, but there were no takers. The Metro Company handed us a deadline: Friday at 11AM it goes. That was last week. The night before my favorite park manager, allowed us to plant the tree on city soil in Fælledparken, but the city would not pay for the move. A nervewrecking twenty minutes before felling time, we managed to delay the deadline until Monday, leaving us the weekend to flash-crowdfund the move. By Saturday the citizens had pulled together and funded the move at 7500 DKR, expecting to save the tree before the deadline.

Summer version by Google. Alle the trees in front and to the right are gone. Precious canopy cover lost.

Just as we thought we were home free, came the chock: a ramp needed to be built, and it was not, as we were misinformed, included in the moving cost. The Metro Company, missing the huge PR moment completely, would not assist us in any way. Best they could do, was to postpone felling one last time.

In another two days, we amazingly managed to raise the same amount again, to buy six tonnes of gravel, and the assistance of a paving and gardening company. Putting up signs, planning for the ramp, booking, coordinating, blocking parking spaces, everything had to work out, or we would lose the tree. And like magic, it did. Here is the big day in pictures:

Apart from that fence from hell, with everything properly coordinated, the move itself was smooth. Until we hit the streets, and had forgotten to factor in the low hanging Christmas decorations... The moving truck found a way out, but at Østerbro's busiest intersection we were sabotaged.

In black and white because: drama.

The amazing gardener, refusing to be beaten, jumped out of the truck, ran into the intersection and climbed the tree. Along with the treemover, they gently tied the crown down, and managed to just slip under the wire. Not a single honk from drivers, despite blocking the street for several lightcycles. Pretty cool, Copenhagen.

By some miracle I had chosen the right contractor for the assignment. Who else would have gone to this length? I am so grateful. Shortly after, we reached the destination.

The damages were controlled.

And the tree lovered into its new home.

Mission accomplished!

All that remains now, is to see how it handles the move. If it goes well, the city is... urged to admit, this could be a viable alternative to the senseless fellings. My dream is to create an urban forest of rescued Copenhagen trees. All with their own story, on a big map. Fingers crossed for the beautiful ash. I know it is a survivor. You can just tell.

Links:

Red Byens Træer, Facebook (in Danish)

Red Byens Træer, blog (in Danish)

Save the Urban Trees, blog (Red Byens Træer translated into English)

♥

A shotgun wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 23:43:00 +0000

At the moment Denmark is split in three: Team Yes, Team (hell) No, and the Undecided. Next week Danes decide if we should give up sovereignty and irreversibly hand over a large part of our justice system to the EU.

Since 1992 Denmark have an opt-out in a few areas (justice, defence policy, home affairs and currency), but now Europol (the European Police) is pushing for us to go all in. At no small cost. Now, the politicians relish the idea of not having to ask the voters opinion, so most are pushing for the Yes: "Hand over the reins once and for all, and let us take care of things from here." Reassuring us that Denmark will still have “a seat at the table” (weighing in as a tiny nation, with insignificant powers).

The Yes-propaganda have consisted mainly of worst-case scenarios, so ridiculous that they instantly backfired. But the most influential part of the media have been shamelessly promoting the Yes-agenda, highlighting only how much safer we will all be.

Yes! / No!

Team Yes sees us as a member state in the European Union. Hanging on to the concept of a nation, is considered nostalgic. We should all prepare for the new world, as dictated by the European leaders, and not look back. They don't seem to get the reluctance to hand over all control. A small price to pay, they say, to have the Danish police be an integrated part of Europol. A small price? It doesn't get much higher than that.

As you can gather I am on Team (hell) No. The funny thing is, I love Europe and I feel as much like a European as a Dane. And, I am a big supporter of collaborating across borders. Surely that should be possible without handing over all control? Why the shotgun wedding? Do we really want to partner up with a system that won't let us make our own decisions?

I believe in a Europe where we all bring a different flavor to the table, not a big, bland and uniform mass, ruled by a powerful few. Diversity should be celebrated, not ironed out. Collaboration? Absolutely. Shotgun weddings?

Hell no!

Untainted recap of the upcoming vote in the EU Observer:

Danes to vote on EU relations in December referendum.

UPDATE:
It was a no. Yes!

Copenhagen on fire

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Høj) — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 22:14:00 +0000

What’s with the long break, you may wonder? Copenhagen is on fire, and I find it so hard to just sit back and describe it. My first instinct is to put out the fires, so that’s what I have been doing with my time. It is about the trees, of course. The relentless, escalating deforestation, in the name of progress and urban development.

Recent examples: A university (of Natural and Health Sciences, of all things) took down a garden to make space for bike parking.

Once upon a garden, now only alive on Google Street View. Like so many Copenhagen trees.

Butchering in progress. Because bikes just can't be parked under trees?

Red Cross destroyed the most beautiful magnolia garden, to lay more brick. I still can't look at it. Here is what it looked like in the spring of 2013:

And the last goodbye this summer, look at these magnificent old trees.

We tried to see if they could be moved, but the trunks were split too low, making it impossible for the machine to reach around them.

Painful to know that only one month later, they would be gone.

New areas of Copenhagen are being developed with zero consideration for nature. The old Carlsberg Breweries area is transformed from a historic, industrial space, into tower upon tower of luxury apartments, the new Carlsberg City. Dancers, galleries, children and creative outlets are not able to meet the market price, and have been evicted. The legendary Climbing Forest is going to be felled, the brewer’s beautiful old garden with rare trees is gone, all the adjacent street trees: gone.

If you know or visited Copenhagen, you may have greeted the big elephant gate at the end of this cobblestone road.

Now stripped of old trees. Urban planning and corporate greed at its worst.

I don't think I have the strength to document the Climbing Forest, about to be felled. But I may have to, in respect of Copenhagen history.

As a rule existing trees are rarely included in plans, as they are challenges to architects and limits the amount of space investors can profit from. Also, building around trees cost more, and they all get away with “replacements”, in the ratio 1:1. Not taking the massive loss of leaf mass and biodiversity into consideration. Conveniently ignoring how newly planted street trees have a life expectancy of four to seven years, due to impossible living conditions for young, fragile trees.

The citizen's movement Red Byens Træer (Save the Urban Trees) that I founded after the big Bunker (-tree) rescue, have been steadily growing, and yesterday we were featured on National Danish Radio P1, in the documentary program Natursyn, for 45 minutes of glorious tree talk. And we have finally got the politicians talking about implementing a tree policy for Copenhagen.

But the one case that has been sucking all life out of me, is Møllegade on Nørrebro. Where the city decided to make a tile square, where there is now a rare mass of trees. A small forest of 18 poplar-, apple-, mirabelle- and ash trees.

For years we have fought and pleaded with them to include the existing trees in the new plan. We were not allowed in the citizen's group, cherry picked by the Administration, and our involvement was not welcome. But that didn't stop us investigating. We learned that the City Administration had lied to the citizen's group, stating that the trees were sick. Effectively shutting down a unanimous wish to preserve them.

The Nature Conservation people inspected the trees, and gave them all a clean bill of health. So why did the Administration declare them sick? Did they have the wrong information? We gained access to the documents, confirming that the trees were healthy and most even declared worth preserving. They simply lied, to get their way.

But, at the time we exposed the lie, the plan was already set, leaving only three of the existing trees. We complained to the City about the Administration, and the complaint was handled by... the Administration. Ignoring the part where they lied. Stating that the cherry picked citizen's group were happy. Happy is code for Afraid To Get On Bad Terms With The City. To the point of accepting a blatant lie, costing us a small forest.

These three trees will go, to make room for a swapping shed. Yes: a shed. Moving the shed slightly from the wall, would preserve these trees, we have even had advisors to the building trade suggest they use a screw foundation, to mount the shed, and spare the trees.

On opposite corner a cemetery. Square meters not as readily available, to the developers hungry eye.

Thousands of Copenhageners have signed a petition to preserve our trees. We don’t need a tile square, we need trees. And, in this part of town: desperately so. At 6 m2 of nature per citizen, compared to an average of 35 m2 for the rest of Copenhagen, Nørrebro is suffocating. Lack of trees affect os severely, both in quality of life and in the air we breathe. Less big trees means more CO2 and toxic particles, killing off 500 Copenhageners annually. Cutting down big, healthy trees in the urban space, should be prohibited.

But despite our effort, the massive public outcry and exposure of a defective process, the politicians decided to let the plan pass, without a vote (!). By spring 2016 this will all be gone.

Yesterday these poplar trees were topped, which means the entire canopy was cut off all the poplar trees. A pratice referred to by professionals as mutilation. And this was not the first time, for the poor poplars. This is how we treat our trees in Copenhagen.

Goodbye old friends.

This old ashtree will be felled to make room for another shed, for children's toys.

If I hear another politician or developer utter the word "replacement tree" I swear...

So what's next? I have decided to go ahead and file a complaint about the City of Copenhagen, to the Government Ombudsman, for lying to the citizens. This process have highlighted a serious problem: the Administration is running the show, not the people we voted for. And, citizens are not being heard. It is a mockery of a process, and if we only get one thing out of years of fighting for the Møllegade trees, let it be that this pattern will not be repeated.

That’s what I have been up to. Can you forgive the long silence?

Links:

DR P1 Natursyn, Red Byens Træer (in Danish)

A good treehug, small video on DR P1 Facebook

Red Byens Træer, Facebook (in Danish)

Red Byens Træer, blog (in Danish)

Save the Urban Trees, blog (Red Byens Træer translated into English)

Møllegade on Save The Urban Trees (in English)

♥