(Images: Steven Holl)
The plan was an ambitious one. The Copenhagen Gate would provide a crossing between two skyscrapers at the mouth of one of Copenhagen’s harbors. People would be able to ride or walk across the glass-walled span while getting a glorious view of the city below.
Steven Holl, an American architect, first proposed the idea in 2008. Sadly, after much discussion among city planners and architects, the project has been cancelled.
Why would they cancel such an awesome idea? Although it looks cool, Copenhagen’s government figures that people won’t actually use it. It would be easier to ride around the harbor than to take a bike on two different elevators to access the crossing. The Guardian reports:
“It would be fun, and a landmark, but it would never be something that would be used every day,” said Klaus Bondam, formerly Copenhagen’s mayor for roads and the environment and now the chief executive of Cyklistforbundet, the Danish Cyclists’ Federation. “You wouldn’t want to cycle, get in a lift with your bike, get on your bike and then get in another lift on the other side. It would be quicker to cycle round the harbour.”
-via Dornob