Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Copenhagen

T is for Transit-Oriented Development

t_husene_1.jpg

Planning a city around transit doesn't mean you have to cluster everything inside the core business district. Copenhagen, whose thoughtful bike network we've explored elsewhere, recently commissioned Chelsea-based architect Steven Holl to design T-Husene, a place for living and working outside the core city. The architect's renderings, released November 2, fit into a town that fits into a local rail line and a regional rail network extending as far as Sweden.

It's an inspiring blend of striking architecture and compact planning. Imagine: roughly 54,000 square feet of apartments on top of 37,500 square feet of retail, with a large allotment of open space. Holl's design shows how tall structures, plenty of natural light and strategic use of grass can deliver a sense of exploration without sprawl. Says Holl: "It is a sharp contrast to the American urban sprawl which is characterised by highways and endless seas of houses."

It also takes the wind out of the argument that only car-centric urban design can satisfy a yearning for individual expression. This is no Soviet-style block. Again, the architect: "We wanted to create a sense of autonomy, individuation, and particularity for each apartment and tower. One of the failures of modern housing comes from the lack of individualization." Ditto for one of the failures of modern sprawl.

Here are some images:

t_husene_1.jpg
t_husene_1.jpg
t_husene_1.jpg
t_husene_1.jpg

The Copenhagen government chose a strategic site for the project. It sits on a site with a ten-minute rail link to downtown Copenhagen and a direct rail connection to Malmo, a Swedish city. It's tempting to imagine such lovely forms in the South Bronx, eastern Queens or even New Jersey, with links to airports and office-park suburbs, but it's hard to move this image beyond fantasy until the city gets serious about concentrating new development near transit hubs in under-built areas.

t_husene_1.jpg

That won't be easy. The MTA controls most of the transit infrastructure and other entities own most of the land. But there's a new team in Albany and a new drumbeat for walkable neighborhoods inside and around New York City. Such developments can't be generic. But as these images show, they can be intriguing -- and beautiful.

t_husene_1.jpg

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Wednesday’s Headlines: To Repeat, This is Not an ‘Accident’ Edition

The mayor can't stop calling preventable crashes "accidents." Plus other news.

April 2, 2025

Simcha Felder, Longtime Orthodox Brooklyn Pol and Street Safety Foe, is M.I.A. After Speeding Driver Kills Three

Council Member Simcha Felder, who has represented Orthodox South Brooklyn for more than 20 years, has been silent since a speeding driver killed a mother and her two children on Ocean Parkway.

April 1, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Another Rally For Action Edition

Maybe this time, the slaughter of the innocent will lead to change. Plus other news.

April 1, 2025

EXCLUSIVE: Citi Bike to Add E-Tandems to Fleet on April 1

The Lyft-owned rentable bike company confirmed the news after a Streetsblog reporter happened upon two Citi Bike employees testing out the new wheels in a remote corner of Forest Park in Queens

April 1, 2025

State Lawmaker Wants To Override City’s ‘Stupid’ Winter Curbside Dining Ban

New legislation would force the city to allow curbside outdoor dining year-round after the city's arbitrary winter ban decimated the popular program.

April 1, 2025
See all posts