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Travbyen

Designing a playful neighborhood in Billund, the Capital of Children

Sector

Real Estate

Region

Europe

Timespan

2022-2023

A central ambition for the project has been to merge everyday community living with immediate contact with wild nature. Credit: Gehl

In Billund, a city in southern Jutland, Denmark, KIRKBI is developing a new neighborhood centered on play. Drawing on Gehl’s long-standing expertise in playful urban design, KIRKBI asked the team to develop a master plan that fosters play, learning, and creativity.

The Playline is a large, playful urban connection space that connects Travbyen with the rest of Billund and provides a wide range of amenities. Credit: VISMO
The Green Heart is intended as a new, central, green, and biodiverse space to be used by the new neighbourhood and for the benefit for the wider city of Billund. Credit: VISMO

Putting play at the heart of planning

The city of Billund, Denmark, is best known as the birthplace of the famous toy company, the LEGO Group. With a vision to create a new neighborhood designed around play, KIRKBI, the holding company of the LEGO Group, asked Gehl to develop the masterplan to transform the former horse track (Travbane) into Trav city (Travbyen) — a new neighborhood in the Capital of Children.

Gehl’s work included Public Space Public Life studies, the masterplan, and design guidelines, along with early activation of the area. The team also developed guiding visions for Travbyen and led a cross-disciplinary design process in collaboration with project partners. 

The masterplan prioritizes safety, play, and accessibility, with streets that encourage walking and cycling, as well as public spaces and shared amenities that invite children and families to connect. Beyond its playful design, Travbyen promotes high-quality urban living, offering a mix of housing, active spaces, and everyday amenities within walking distance. Surrounded by nature, the neighborhood fosters a close-knit community where residents of all ages can thrive. By integrating playful urban design principles, Travbyen sets a new standard for cities that truly put play at the heart of public life.

The masterplan organizes the main residential development in small clusters around the central green space called the Green Heart. Credit: Gehl
Andreas Michelsen, Sustainability Lead Matthew Burnett, Strategist Lisbeth Philipsen, Senior Designer
Credit: Related Ross

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