Landsbyggefonden Strategic Advisory

Shaping a platform for an urban strategic approach to non-profit housing

Sector

Housing

Region

Europe

Timespan

2020-2022

The Neighborhood for Generations Exhibition, that took place between June 2023 till September 2024, became a platform to showcase the winning ideas from the ideas competition. The Feed-Back Table by Schmidt Hammer Lassen & Fælleshaven was developed as a physical tool to kick-off participatory processes. Photo courtesy: Landsbyggefonden

In Denmark, non-profit housing accounts for 20% of the total housing stock. Over a period of six years, this stock was marked for renovations to improve their quality and livability. As strategic advisors to the Landsbyggefonden (National Building Fund), Gehl developed a holistic approach for social housing development focusing on the integration of physical and social initiatives.

Gehl and the review board visited Folehaven in Copenhagen to meet interested parties and discuss urban strategic principles. Credit: Gehl

‘Thinking Outside the B(l)ox’ is a project by Hele Landet – Sociale Arkitekter & ØsterGRO & Andreas Høegh that aims to tackle loneliness, segregation, and social inequality by creating more opportunities for people to meaningfully meet. Photo courtesy: Landsbyggefonden

Added value through holistic planning

Over a two-year process, Gehl advised Denmark’s National Building Fund how to incorporate a strategic urban approach across its portfolio of activities. The goal was to enhance the societal value of non-profit housing areas and inspire innovative solutions for future development and partnerships.

Gehl acted as the secretariat for an external review board, facilitating discussions on future approaches to redeveloping non-profit housing areas. This included new roles and ways to collaborate across local and national interested parties as well as rethinking economic models and citizen engagement to create more vibrant, resilient, and inclusive cities.

One outcome was the development and launch of the ‘Neighborhood for Generations’ ideas competition, which addressed some of the most pressing questions of our times: How will we live together in the near future? How can we cohabitate across generations, sharing skills, resources, and time? The competition gathered a total of 78 designs ideas for intergenerational neighborhoods, highlighting the need for creative solutions to address today’s urban challenges and providing a platform for ongoing debate.

In 2022, four ‘idea’ winners were selected with the intention to develop their initiatives in social housing neighbourhoods across Denmark.

The ‘Neighborhood for Generations’ ideas competition invites people to ideate on potential solutions to the challenges many cities are facing today. Photo Credit: Gehl. Video Credit: Advice Agency

Solvejg Reigstad, Project Director Louise Vogel Kielgast, Portfolio Director of Urban Health Astrid Marie Astrupgaard, Project Manager Liselott Stenfeldt, Director of Research & Development, Partner

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