TIME: 26 May 2020 from 12.00-24.00

PARTICIPANTS: Iben Schlanbusch, Rose Risager and Kenneth Balfelt

STARTING PLACE: Kenneth Balfelt Team Studio, Dybbølsgade 51, ground floor, Copenhagen V

CATEGORY: Visual artist / urban developer

 

Films

Watch short films from our mapping tour around Copenhagen here:  The start (camera on side!) at 12.00, Sdr. Boulevard at 13.00, Halmtorvet at 14.00, Rådhuspladsen (main square at 15.00, Lunch reflection at 16.00, Købmagergade at 17.00, Israels Plads at 18.00, Realdania at 19.00, reflection at 20.00, Nyropsgade neighbourhood at 21.00, Vesterport St. at 22.00, Christianshavns Torv at 23.00, Final reflection at 24.00

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The project

For several years, Kenneth Balfelt Team has been working on creating places where vulnerable people can spend time in urban spaces in positive coexistence with other groups - so-called bright design. At the same time, we are witnessing more and more people designing urban spaces to keep the vulnerable away. So-called dark, strategic, homeless-hostile or hostile design. But how widespread is it in Copenhagen? Where is it and who has installed it?

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We will use the walk to visit places in Copenhagen where there is dark or bright design intended to keep homeless and other vulnerable people away or invite them in. We will map and photograph it and describe its context.​

 

We start the tour by being shown around by Sami from Gadens Stemmer, a former homeless person who has lived in Vesterbro for several years as a socially vulnerable drug user. Along the way, we will invite homeless people, other vulnerable people and other citizens we meet along the way to join us on smaller stretches and let them guide us to places they know that are either friendly and inclusive or represent dark design.

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If you know of any dark or bright design in Copenhagen, please send me an email about where - to kenneth@kennethbalfelt.org

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We would love to contribute our knowledge in the field of designing urban spaces that work for both vulnerable people and others, for example by:

 

• Mapping dark and bright designed urban space fixtures and fittings

• Mapping the needs of the homeless and other vulnerable people in relation to stay in urban spaces - a prerequisite for developing new urban furniture

• Develop (recommendations for) a new urban space strategy

• Design and implement new concrete initiatives, e.g. as a pilot project in a specific urban space.

• Evaluate strategy and initiatives

 

We have worked on how the process of designing an urban space that also houses vulnerable people can also contribute to the development of the vulnerable themselves. For example, through small jobs, empowerment, new norms and rules in the group and functions for the local neighbourhood. 

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See a feature on TV2 Lorry about dark design here, (10.02.2020) where Kenneth Balfelt participates. 

See features on TV2 Lorry about Copenhagen Municipality's decision to remove dark design here (10.03.2020) and here (19.05.2020).