Public and Private Greenspace

Based on what I have seen throughout the past two weeks, Copenhagen's public and private greenspaces vary in many ways. There is a superfluous amount of public greenspace within the city of Copenhagen. Many of the parks that we have seen can be classified as fortification parks. These parks retain the historic characteristics of their past, while offering services to park goers of the present. The most obvious example of this is Kastellet, which maintains its military base functions while also functioning as a park. In another park, such as Botanisk Haven, which shows its fortification history by still containing remnants of the city's moats, is almost entirely different than Kastellet and serves as a research, education, and recreation hub. It offers more forests and grassy fields. While these parks are classified under one category, each of them offers a unique feature not found in the other. In my opinion, the contemporary parks are all a little bit too similar in terms of the services that they offer. Superkilen and Mimersparken are located within five minutes of one another, and both are mainly for active recreation. These parks contain numerous pieces of artwork and offer many services. However, I believe that these parks do little as a greenspace, due to their typically concrete and treeless designs.

Private greenspaces are of particular interest to me. Although waiting lists for gardens, summer houses, and kolonihavens are extremely long, visiting these places shows that the wait is worth it. City dwellers have easy access to private greenspaces,  which are located very close to the city due to the Five Fingers Plan. These private greenspaces offer Danes a chance to easily connect with nature by gardening or just relaxing in their own spaces. Looking at all of the different gardens and houses, it is obvious that every person has a different style of using their private greenspace. Some may garden, some may become beekeepers, and others may use their property for rest and relaxation. The availability of such greenspace allows for personalization that would otherwise be unavailable.