Comments on: Being Dense about Denmark http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/ Exploring the culture of citymaking Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:28:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: K. Laia http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/comment-page-1/#comment-28775 K. Laia Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:10:25 +0000 http://urbanomnibus.net/?p=11692#comment-28775 "Make no little plans... " “Make no little plans… “

]]> By: Mayraj Fahim http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/comment-page-1/#comment-9112 Mayraj Fahim Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:44:46 +0000 http://urbanomnibus.net/?p=11692#comment-9112 Copenhagen is now also part of the capital region as of 2007. Denmark has abandoned countries in favor of regions. Please see: http://www.regionh.dk/English/English.htm The Capital Region of Denmark The Capital Region of Denmark is one of five administrative units in Denmark. The region provides healthcare, mental healthcare, regional development and research for 1,6 mio. people – approx. 30% of the population. The region consists of 29 municipalities from the island of Bornholm in the east to Hundested in the west. The administrative headquaters of The Capital Region of Denmark is situated in Hillerød, 40 kilometres north of Copenhagen. The region employs 36.000 people – mainly health care professionals – making it one of the largest employers in Denmark. See also: http://www.regionh.dk/NR/rdonlyres/77D746A8-13FF-4EF1-9842-479DD757B100/0/Erhvervsudviklingsstrategien_pixi_Englishversion.pdf More description: The Capital Region of Denmark is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties ("amter") with five larger regions. At the same time, smallermunicipalities were merged into larger units, cutting the number of municipalities from 271 to 98. The reform was implemented in Denmark on January 1, 2007. Copenhagen is now also part of the capital region as of 2007. Denmark has abandoned countries in favor of regions.

Please see:
http://www.regionh.dk/English/English.htm
The Capital Region of Denmark
The Capital Region of Denmark is one of five administrative units in Denmark. The region provides healthcare, mental healthcare, regional development and research for 1,6 mio. people – approx. 30% of the population.

The region consists of 29 municipalities from the island of Bornholm in the east to Hundested in the west.

The administrative headquaters of The Capital Region of Denmark is situated in Hillerød, 40 kilometres north of Copenhagen.

The region employs 36.000 people – mainly health care professionals – making it one of the largest employers in Denmark.

See also:
http://www.regionh.dk/NR/rdonlyres/77D746A8-13FF-4EF1-9842-479DD757B100/0/Erhvervsudviklingsstrategien_pixi_Englishversion.pdf
More description:
The Capital Region of Denmark is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties (“amter”) with five larger regions. At the same time, smallermunicipalities were merged into larger units, cutting the number of municipalities from 271 to 98. The reform was implemented in Denmark on January 1, 2007.

]]> By: Colleen Thornton http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/comment-page-1/#comment-7564 Colleen Thornton Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:48:17 +0000 http://urbanomnibus.net/?p=11692#comment-7564 I lived in Copenhagen for 15 years (1993-2008) and worked closely with the architecture, planning and design profession during that time. Denmark has a closed door immigration policy, and its educational system is woefully out of touch. To say that "ambition" is unacceptable is an understatement. Social programming begins in the day care system with a focus on controlling all normal behaviors into a sameness that defies individualism. Despite this "socialistic" agenda, the taxpayers support the extravagance of a monarchy and single state religion. And Denmark is now in violation of several key EEA environmental regulations. While positive actions and policies exist there, the Danes are deeply conflicted and often the negatives cancel out the positives. Take for instance the new DR Radio Concert Hall designed by starchitect Jean Novel and paid for by taxpayers: geothermal heating & cooling is canceled out by the building's exterior PVC cladding that has a non-recyclable life span of 8 years - and huge cost overruns that will continue as only 2 firms in the world can manufacture this temporary facade. Denmark suffers from a strange combination of denial of overt personal and professional ambitions (but plenty of hidden ones), deep rooted and a lack of honest cultural self awareness, all leading to the current situation of social stagnation and collective complacency. Danes do not invite close scrutiny for a reason, they prefer you believe the shallow PR hype. Barack and Oprah included. I lived in Copenhagen for 15 years (1993-2008) and worked closely with the architecture, planning and design profession during that time. Denmark has a closed door immigration policy, and its educational system is woefully out of touch. To say that “ambition” is unacceptable is an understatement. Social programming begins in the day care system with a focus on controlling all normal behaviors into a sameness that defies individualism. Despite this “socialistic” agenda, the taxpayers support the extravagance of a monarchy and single state religion. And Denmark is now in violation of several key EEA environmental regulations. While positive actions and policies exist there, the Danes are deeply conflicted and often the negatives cancel out the positives. Take for instance the new DR Radio Concert Hall designed by starchitect Jean Novel and paid for by taxpayers: geothermal heating & cooling is canceled out by the building’s exterior PVC cladding that has a non-recyclable life span of 8 years – and huge cost overruns that will continue as only 2 firms in the world can manufacture this temporary facade. Denmark suffers from a strange combination of denial of overt personal and professional ambitions (but plenty of hidden ones), deep rooted and a lack of honest cultural self awareness, all leading to the current situation of social stagnation and collective complacency. Danes do not invite close scrutiny for a reason, they prefer you believe the shallow PR hype. Barack and Oprah included.

]]> By: Robert http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/comment-page-1/#comment-6330 Robert Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:36:34 +0000 http://urbanomnibus.net/?p=11692#comment-6330 Dear Mr. Chakrabarti I feel like I am being told the same thing over and over again, and each time the volume increases by a small increment in an attempt to improve clarity. I’m sorry but it only increases the confusion. Perhaps in simpler times it was possible to develop steel from iron ore and social impacts would be felt for centuries. Today systems are far more complex, the silver bullet may exist but it is much more of a really big shotgun shell. Experts from all industries both professionals and technicians have to step up and pull their weight and who would be more appropriate it is our responsibility to not stand in their way. Urban planners have to be much more understanding and explain more specifically the redevelopment issues we face as a country. For example the German land area and its 88 million people fits comfortably into the state of California which is only 30 million people. If we were to match Germany’s density (1/3 greater than China) in the US our entire population would fit into California, New York and Texas with room to spare. Upon closer inspection (using the fits in California model) the largest city is Berlin at 3 million and Munich the next largest with 1.25 million. As you stroll these cities the lion's share of the highly mixed use development is 4 to 8 stories and the surrounding area is natural/agricultural reserves. This suggest two important things; in spite of the high per square mile densities everyone need not live in an environment like New York where perhaps 50% of the residential units have sun light for 1-4 hours a day or less, and that environmental sustainability can be achieved at quite low densities. In fact in the developed world communities that are the closest to zero carbon today are moderate to low livable densities with simple transit connections and access to natural amenities and close in agriculture. Ironically a third of the world population which has the smallest per capita carbon footprint is based on these same characteristics? So how do we explain to the public at large about this density issue and not make it contingent on the health care debate or the war in Iraq and how do we avoid yet another brainless US model of development with characterless neighborhoods snuggled up to endless parking structures, with of course an obligatory shopping street. How do we use our expertise to develop a model of a sustainable community that realistically reflects the variety of densities that will and should occur and the role each plays in the equation? I’m afraid it will require experts from other fields to achieve an understanding of environmental equilibrium and a quality community, but probably not the health care policy pundits. Dear Mr. Chakrabarti
I feel like I am being told the same thing over and over again, and each time the volume increases by a small increment in an attempt to improve clarity. I’m sorry but it only increases the confusion. Perhaps in simpler times it was possible to develop steel from iron ore and social impacts would be felt for centuries. Today systems are far more complex, the silver bullet may exist but it is much more of a really big shotgun shell. Experts from all industries both professionals and technicians have to step up and pull their weight and who would be more appropriate it is our responsibility to not stand in their way.
Urban planners have to be much more understanding and explain more specifically the redevelopment issues we face as a country. For example the German land area and its 88 million people fits comfortably into the state of California which is only 30 million people. If we were to match Germany’s density (1/3 greater than China) in the US our entire population would fit into California, New York and Texas with room to spare. Upon closer inspection (using the fits in California model) the largest city is Berlin at 3 million and Munich the next largest with 1.25 million. As you stroll these cities the lion’s share of the highly mixed use development is 4 to 8 stories and the surrounding area is natural/agricultural reserves. This suggest two important things; in spite of the high per square mile densities everyone need not live in an environment like New York where perhaps 50% of the residential units have sun light for 1-4 hours a day or less, and that environmental sustainability can be achieved at quite low densities. In fact in the developed world communities that are the closest to zero carbon today are moderate to low livable densities with simple transit connections and access to natural amenities and close in agriculture. Ironically a third of the world population which has the smallest per capita carbon footprint is based on these same characteristics?
So how do we explain to the public at large about this density issue and not make it contingent on the health care debate or the war in Iraq and how do we avoid yet another brainless US model of development with characterless neighborhoods snuggled up to endless parking structures, with of course an obligatory shopping street.
How do we use our expertise to develop a model of a sustainable community that realistically reflects the variety of densities that will and should occur and the role each plays in the equation? I’m afraid it will require experts from other fields to achieve an understanding of environmental equilibrium and a quality community, but probably not the health care policy pundits.

]]> By: DevotedToOmnibus http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/comment-page-1/#comment-6323 DevotedToOmnibus Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:14:33 +0000 http://urbanomnibus.net/?p=11692#comment-6323 I like the creativity and the ambition of the argument. Of course, the author never asks if the masses actually want to live in an urban environment; he seems to think that the people exist for the city, not the other way around. I like the creativity and the ambition of the argument. Of course, the author never asks if the masses actually want to live in an urban environment; he seems to think that the people exist for the city, not the other way around.

]]> By: Michael http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/comment-page-1/#comment-6104 Michael Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:52:48 +0000 http://urbanomnibus.net/?p=11692#comment-6104 nicely written but I don't agree with many of your points. you really lost me when you said this "With 30,000 troops deploying against a true existential threat" The US, with more than 300 million people is not existentially threatened by terrorism. Average US Deaths, per year: Cancer: 565,000. Heart Disease: 425,000. Traffic: 43,000. Total number of Americans killed by terrorism from 1968-2006: 3,227. Terror attacks, the Iraq and the pending conflict with Iran all stem from US policies towards Israel - read the transcripts from Osama interviews. US support of Israel is something US politicians support but most Americans dont care about. The only existential threat to the US is from the off shoring of so many of its industries. nicely written but I don’t agree with many of your points.

you really lost me when you said this
“With 30,000 troops deploying against a true existential threat”

The US, with more than 300 million people is not existentially threatened by terrorism.

Average US Deaths, per year: Cancer: 565,000. Heart Disease: 425,000. Traffic: 43,000. Total number of Americans killed by terrorism from 1968-2006: 3,227.

Terror attacks, the Iraq and the pending conflict with Iran all stem from US policies towards Israel – read the transcripts from Osama interviews. US support of Israel is something US politicians support but most Americans dont care about.

The only existential threat to the US is from the off shoring of so many of its industries.

]]> By: faslanyc http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/comment-page-1/#comment-5889 faslanyc Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:36:44 +0000 http://urbanomnibus.net/?p=11692#comment-5889 some really excellent points, starting off with the absurdity of the New York urban intelligentsia glorifying copenhagen, though admittedly the copenhagencyclechic website can be seductive and there are some lessons to be learned from Copenhagen, to be sure. the initial impact of infrastructure-as-fixall is seriously misleading, however. Even just redesigning and updating a small portion of an existing system with existing technologies takes closer to a decade, at least in complex cities like New York. this is to say nothing of new, untested infrastructures and technologies. also, you would likely need the help of large beaurocracies and engineering firms, both of which are notorious for their ineffeciencies, politics, and hierarchical management. And can you really wait on healthcare another 4 years? i suppose that you can, as could i probably, but it seems the president has decided he might not be around, and even if so we need to get people covered now. a cogent presentation of many of the memes making the rounds these days. provocative and thoughtful. i love the idea of the next summit being held in mumbai or sao paolo. being in those places does make matters seem more pressing than in a stable, cozy European capital. thank you for the article. some really excellent points, starting off with the absurdity of the New York urban intelligentsia glorifying copenhagen, though admittedly the copenhagencyclechic website can be seductive and there are some lessons to be learned from Copenhagen, to be sure.

the initial impact of infrastructure-as-fixall is seriously misleading, however. Even just redesigning and updating a small portion of an existing system with existing technologies takes closer to a decade, at least in complex cities like New York. this is to say nothing of new, untested infrastructures and technologies. also, you would likely need the help of large beaurocracies and engineering firms, both of which are notorious for their ineffeciencies, politics, and hierarchical management.

And can you really wait on healthcare another 4 years? i suppose that you can, as could i probably, but it seems the president has decided he might not be around, and even if so we need to get people covered now.

a cogent presentation of many of the memes making the rounds these days. provocative and thoughtful. i love the idea of the next summit being held in mumbai or sao paolo. being in those places does make matters seem more pressing than in a stable, cozy European capital.

thank you for the article.

]]> By: Kris Scheerlinck http://urbanomnibus.net/2009/12/being-dense-about-denmark/comment-page-1/#comment-5014 Kris Scheerlinck Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:01:02 +0000 http://urbanomnibus.net/?p=11692#comment-5014 Dear Mr. Chakrabarti, Thank you so much for sharing these ideas. You made my day! I am an Urban Designer living and working in Barcelona (one of those other idealized comfortable cities where people do not seem to have to work), and experience daily the difficulty of explaining to clients or students the real sustainable issues at stake. I agree we won't save the world by using fluorescent light bulbs or adding more photovoltaic panels on our rooftops. It all depends on the structure and the density of us occupying territories, small ones as well as big ones. Compactness and short-distance-logistics are the answer to all. Have a nice day, Kris Scheerlinck. Dear Mr. Chakrabarti,
Thank you so much for sharing these ideas. You made my day!
I am an Urban Designer living and working in Barcelona (one of those other idealized comfortable cities where people do not seem to have to work), and experience daily the difficulty of explaining to clients or students the real sustainable issues at stake. I agree we won’t save the world by using fluorescent light bulbs or adding more photovoltaic panels on our rooftops. It all depends on the structure and the density of us occupying territories, small ones as well as big ones. Compactness and short-distance-logistics are the answer to all.
Have a nice day,
Kris Scheerlinck.

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