Three hundred years ago, the Danish captain Johan Georg Motzmann and his brother found themselves in need of a site for ship repairs. Wanting a central location, they opted to build an artificial island right in the heart of Copenhagen’s harbour, naming it Motzmann’s Square – and so this little parcel of land, no bigger than a city block, came into being.
Over the following centuries, the island evolved to fulfil many functions. Sold to the military in 1723 (when it was renamed Christiansholm), it became a military hospital and, later, an arsenal. But it was its 1950s incarnation, as the site of paper warehouses, which earned it the affectionate moniker “Paper Island” (“Papiroeen”) – and it is this period with which it’s still most readily associated in the hearts and minds of Copenhagenites.
For more than half a century, the island served as a crucial cog for the workings of the Danish Press’ Joint Procurement Association (DDPFF), who stored rolls upon rolls of paper waiting to be dispatched to the printers. But by 2012, the reduced need for print media had made the island redundant, and with the paper warehouses gone, it finally fell out of use.
This might have been the end of its story, were it not for local property developer Klaus Kastbjerg, who saw the potential for developing the abandoned outpost into a vibrant new neighbourhood: a cultural hub for both locals and visitors, giving members of the public access to the out-of-bounds island for the first time in its long history.
Author :
Publish date : 2024-10-05 09:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
The post The futuristic island about to become Copenhagen’s hippest hangout first appeared on Love Europe.
Author : love-europe
Publish date : 2024-10-07 07:53:25
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.