+ POOL
Urban Swimming: A New Age for New York
Name: Islands Brygge Harbour Bath
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Launch Year: 2002
Islands Brygge Harbour Bath, Copenhagen, Denmark
Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, is home to many popular harbor baths, which have come to define the Danish capital as one of the most livable cities in the world. Islands Brygge is the most popular and frequently visited. Copenhagen’s forward-thinking and sustainability minded leaders have invested millions in restoring the formerly industrialized and heavily polluted harbor area, making it safe for the citizens to enjoy the natural beauty of their home in the now clean waters.
But there’s more to this local gem than first meets the eye. Hints of Copenhagen’s industrial and war steeped history peek through in the renovated grain silo apartments and railroad remnants woven into its public spaces. The site has taken on many forms ranging from a world-leading, industrial port to the site of many courageous attacks by the Danish Resistance movement during the occupation in World War II. Today, this scenic promenade and stunning harbor bath is visited by thousands of Copenhageners, particularly in the warmer summer months. The green-oriented city has done a wonderful job of demonstrating just how wonderful and attainable free and safe urban access to recreation can be.