Carlsberg Byen

The former home to the world-famous Carlsberg Breweries in the heart of Copenhagen is more than 170 years old and is currently being transformed into a new vibrant city district

 Our approach

Carlsberg Byen, also known as Carlsberg City District, has a history that spans more than 170 years in time, and the founders – J.C and Carl Jacobsen – have generally had a great influence on the urban landscape of Copenhagen. However, most of their passion for art and architecture was dedicated towards the neighborhood built around their breweries. Hence, the Carlsberg neighborhood has come to be an important part of the Danish cultural heritage and the home to many of Copenhagen’s architectural treasures. These historical treasures will be reactivated as a part of the revitalization of the district. In the development of the new Carlsberg district, visitors and residents will experience a vibrant, modern, and unique part of Copenhagen rooted in a historical spirit and unique architecture.

BRIQ has since 2017 been involved in the ongoing process of transforming Carlsberg Byen into a dynamic and vibrant neighborhood once again. The initial work involved mapping the site’s DNA through cultural heritage studies, summarized visions, and location analyses. These insights have formed the basis for the actual retail and urban life strategy which is guiding the current implementation phase and concept curation.

Heritage and identity

Carlsberg’s history is a love affair between science and culture. From the very beginning, quality products went hand in hand with plenty of creative energy and a generous contribution to life in the city. The founders made sure that great art and architecture were integrated into the urban spaces, thus becoming a natural part of the everyday life in the area. The transformation of Carlsberg Byen is building on these unique values of the founders.

At the same time, the district will be denser than Copenhagen has seen for a century. Historical buildings and monuments will blend in amongst modern blocks and towers rising to the skies. A varied pattern of passages and squares will inspire people to explore and discover the myriad of spaces and atmospheres. Besides the unique combination of new and historical locations, the founders’ love for art and science are mirrored in the new urban life strategy, which further develops the symbiosis of art, culture, craftsmanship, commerce, and production.

10 Zones

The Carlsberg neighborhood has always been a mixture of factory buildings and homes – a flourishing neighborhood with a sense of community, entertainment, and urban life. Through our initial work and analysis, we mapped the district as consisting of 10 different zones – each with their very own identity and potential. Building on the uniqueness of each zone, we are now curating concepts and inviting actors to move in and be a part of shaping the new Carlsberg City District. This strategy makes it possible to take the significant character of the respective zones into account and ensures a solid foundation for a sustainable, diverse, and colorful urban life.

High Street (Zone 3)

An example of this is zone 3 – here the buildings, urban spaces and tenancies in the southern part of Carlsberg Byen constitute what is called The High Street. The size and location of the tenancies as well as their unique architectural looks have the potential to become an exceptional retail experience, giving Carlsberg Byen the opportunity to invite international brands and galleries to create unique universes together. In these universes, retail and art will go hand in hand, and this will put the Carlsberg neighborhood and Copenhagen on the map for extraordinary, cutting-edge, innovative, and memorable store designs. Here, we are hand-picking the best concepts to bring forth this particular identity in each tenant – and in union create an area where the border between art and retail is blurred.

Flaskehalsen (Zone 8)

Another area that we have just started curating is zone 8 – better known as Flaskehalsen. This zone is defined by two buildings. One is facing the street, and one is opening up to a semi-private plaza – and between them, an intimate alley appears. Creativity, authenticity, and local design production are our guiding principles in the curation process. The idea is to create a local design collective with unique little gems and craftsman stores, where the stores interact and explode out into the shared urban space. Our preliminary analysis tells us that the current and future residents of Carlsberg Byen will increasingly be requesting the virtues and qualities of craftsmanship and local micro-production, which is what we then are catering for.

Currently happening in Carlsberg Byen

Carlsberg Byen encapsulates a unique combination of quirky allies, sunbathed squares, busy streets full of commerce, green oases, and cozy residential neighborhoods. It is already booming of life and many interesting new concepts and restaurants – and it carries a huge potential to become even more vibrant and alive. Some brilliant concepts that have already moved in are the well-renowned eateries Cadence, Surt, and Kōnā, as well as the internationally recognized gallery von Bartha. These concepts have all put their personal touch on the area, and we are thrilled to see how they engage in the ongoing identity creation of the neighborhood. Carlsberg Byen is truly well on its way to becoming the vibrant and unique city district we started working on to achieve back in 2017!