You
may have heard the fable of the magic carpet, a rug capable of controlled
flight. The legend has a rich history beyond Disney, one of thieves and madmen
and kings and war. In each story, the magic carpet allows the rider
instantaneous passage and escape, as well as a lofty perspective to either
destroy enemies or take your love interest on a musically charged first date.
The
magic carpet story is one that has changed throughout history, but has had much
less of a contemporary presence—until now. Situated between Ørsted Park and
Torvehallerne in Copenhagen lies a real live magic carpet. It’s more than
12,000 square meters and is accessible to anyone who can find it. All you have to do is ask for Israel Square.
The
square was once part of the defensive shell of Copenhagen, used to defend the
city from attacks. Built upon the ramparts in the mid 1800s, the park was
utilized mostly for dog walking until 1968 when it was adjoined with a
vegetable market. The space was then dubbed Israel Square as a memorial for the
Jewish citizens persecuted by the Nazis, but served mostly as a car park.
Now,
Israel Square is a large public plaza newly renovated by the architects at
COBE. The square resembles a large magic carpet, with complex folds that give
what was once a concrete lot beauteous topography. The area is slightly raised,
establishing it as a separate entity from the surrounding neighborhood and
requiring pedestrians to step up onto it. At night, LED lights line the edges
of this platform, creating the illusion that the square is hovering above the
ground.
The
magic carpet is a delightful motif, yet it is the design principles that are
utilized to create this idea that make Israel Square such a successful public
space. These principles have to do with
the careful usage of vertical space and discrete lines. Although the space is
made of mostly concrete, it has an unusually earthy feel due to the constantly
changing topography. Opposite corners of the park fold up into wing-like
sitting structures; there is an organic, bumpy decline to the slightly sunken
basketball court; the smooth shallow bowl of the mini skate park; even the
trees are on raised surfaces and the lamps of the streetlights at different
heights. These components are more than mere wrinkles in the magic carpet—they
keep the space interesting and promote exploration. They also serve as a great
transition from the smooth city streets to the hilly nature of the adjacent
park.
This
transition is also supported by the use of discrete lines. Whether it is the
grid pattern on the ground, the radial lines of the wood paneled benches, or
the vertical bars of the basketball area, winged corners, and trees, the
pedestrian gaze is guided in a multitude of directions. This makes the space
feel more inclusive, incorporating the surrounding neighborhood and beautiful
structures around it. It also allows the
space to be very open whilst maintaining its complexity and gives each
component equal attention, keeping any one part of the space from being the
main attraction.
If
there were to be a main source of wonder and gaze, I would hope that it would
be in relation to the square’s history-based moniker. Upon learning about
Israel Square, I was surprised at the lack of memorial to such a complex and
horrific historical massacre of people. There is a statue at the entrance of
the square: a large rock inscribed with Hebrew. Perhaps this is enough for
some, but I felt a bit disappointed in this effort and began to search for
additional tribute to the Jewish lives lost in World War I. This may be a misinterpretation on my part,
but I found the use of vertical metal bars and the center basketball court’s
cage-like construct an interestingly dark aesthetic and possibly purposeful
commemorative design choice. This is a
strange juxtaposition with the playful atmosphere that is much more opaque and infectious
than the darker one that I was seeking out. The soft material surrounding the
courts, the skate park, the small playground, and the various leap stones are
begging to be explored and played with.
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