It's like a park that connects the waterfront with the city and the nearby context in a fluid urban interaction
– Kristian Ahlmark, Schmidt Hammer Lassen senior partner

Danish architecture studio Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects (SHL) have unveiled their

“transformative design” for one of Scandinavia's largest retail destinations: the Fisketorvet - Copenhagen Mall.

The firm have been appointed to update the 17-year old shopping centre into “a welcoming urban locality fitting for one of the world's most livable cities.” Their development plans include creating 15,000sq m (161,400sq ft) of space for retail, restaurants and leisure, as well as 32,000sq m (344,400sq ft) for other commercial purposes.

The mall will be directly integrated with a new metro station, due to open in 2023, creating a new social and meeting point for downtown Copenhagen.

Fisketorvet was built in 2000 at a then remote location with little surrounding city life. However, residential developments and two new bicycle bridges – the Bryggebroen and the famous Bicycle Snake – have since revitalised the area. The Fisketorvet - Copenhagen Mall is now a natural connection point between the historical meatpacking district at Vesterbro and the city's ongoing expansion eastwards.

To reflect the mall’s new role, SHL’s design includes 360 degrees of open and active facades at ground level, intended to “foster life between the building and the city.” A brick exterior will unify the new elements with the original structure.

“We have focused on opening up the building and breaking down the scale,” said senior partner Kristian Ahlmark. “Fisketorvet is a large structure in an urban context, and we have seen it as our task to create a good link between the slightly introverted building and the living city that over time has embraced it.

“We do this by adapting the existing volume and by adding new programmed urban spaces that address the diverse context in the area. It's about creating new accommodations for the many pedestrians and cyclists who are now moving in this part of Copenhagen.

"Our proposal suggests creating the entire site as a continuous landscape. Like a park, that connects the waterfront with the city and the nearby context, in a fluid like urban interaction".

Landscape architects SLA and engineers Midtconsult will work with Schmidt Hammer Lassen to create the open public spaces around the project.

The team won a design competition organised by European commercial property leader Unibail-Rodamco, owner of Fisketorvet.

More detailed design information is due to be released later in the year.

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