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The Story Behind The Unique Oval Community Gardens of Copenhagen

5 min read

Better Society
The Story Behind The Unique Oval Community Gardens of Copenhagen
Source: Henrik Schurmann/Pinterest

Architecture enthusiasts might recognise the name Carl Theodor Marius Sørensen and the oval gardens of Naerum are one of his famous projects and among Denmark’s most beautiful attractions.

Amazing allotment gardens

The Naerum suburban district of Copenhagen, in Denmark, is the setting for one of the most visually appealing allotment gardens in the world. Søren Carl Theodor Marius Sørensen is considered one of the greatest landscape architects to have ever lived, and the oval gardens of Naerum are one of his most famous projects. In 1948, 40 oval allotment gardens, each measuring approximately 25 × 15 m, were laid out on a rolling lawn, between public housing on one side and more traditional allotments on the other. Owners were free to position their cottages, select the surrounding hedges, and lay out the interior of their plots, but Sørensen provided some directions, stressing that they were meant as a guide, not rules. Seventy later, and the oval gardens of Naerum are still one of the most beautiful attractions in the Danish capital. To see Denmark’s round gardens (as opposed to oval) located n Brøndby Haveby, click here.

Source: UrbanProjectization

In 1948, 40 oval allotment gardens, each measuring approximately 25 × 15 m, were laid out on a rolling lawn, between public housing on one side and more traditional allotments on the other.
Søren Carl Theodor Marius Sørensen is considered one of the greatest landscape architects to have ever lived, and the oval gardens of Naerum are one of his most famous projects. In 1948, 40 oval allotment gardens, each measuring approximately 25 × 15 m, were laid out on a rolling lawn, between public housing on one side and more traditional allotments on the other. Source: WonderfulEngineering
Although allotment gardens, or community gardens for growing fruits and vegetables, are found in countries all over the world (see 1944), Denmark takes special pride in dating the phenomenon within its borders back to the mid-1600s, when small gardens were planted outside the fortress walls of Fredericia.
The Nærum Allotment Gardens north of Copenhagen laid out by C. Th. Sørensen (1893–1979) in 1948. Although allotment gardens, or community gardens for growing fruits and vegetables, are found in countries all over the world (see 1944), Denmark takes special pride in dating the phenomenon within its borders back to the mid-1600s, when small gardens were planted outside the fortress walls of Fredericia. Source: MetropolisMag
Owners were free to position their cottages, select the surrounding hedges, and lay out the interior of their plots, but Sørensen provided some directions, stressing that they were meant as a guide, not rules. Seven decades later, the oval gardens of Naerum are still one of the most beautiful attractions in the Danish capital.
Naerum Allotment Gardens, by C. Th. Sørensen, Denmark, 1952 Owners were free to position their cottages, select the surrounding hedges, and lay out the interior of their plots, but Sørensen provided some directions, stressing that they were meant as a guide, not rules. Seven decades later, the oval gardens of Naerum are still one of the most beautiful attractions in the Danish capital. Source: Flickr/Ben ter Mull
Initially, Sørensen envisioned the landscaping project as a regular grid of ovals spread across the lawn, but this eventually gave way to a looser arrangement of the plots and a more dynamic look.
Naerum Allotment Gardens, by C. Th. Sørensen, Denmark, 1952 Initially, Sørensen envisioned the landscaping project as a regular grid of ovals spread across the lawn, but this eventually gave way to a looser arrangement of the plots and a more dynamic look. Source: Flickr/Ben ter Mull
like the preference of clipped over unclipped hedges, which helped maintain its charm.
Despite the freedom of design that each garden plot owner enjoyed over the years, the oval gardens have always retained a certain consistency in some regards, like the preference of clipped over unclipped hedges, which helped maintain its charm. Source: AlessandroRocca
That was actually the landscape architect’s plan all along.
One of the most impressive things about Søren Carl Theodor Marius Sørensen’s design is that the oval gardens look amazing from above, and even more so from the ground, as you walk amongst them. That was actually the landscape architect’s plan all along. Source: Instagram@marcellok_architect
The Danish landscape architect wanted to encourage owners to walk more, get some fresh air before getting into their cars, as well as greet and maybe socialize with their neighbors more. Walking among the oval gardens helped them do just that.
The lack of road access to each plot may seem like a flaw at first glance, but it’s by design. The Danish landscape architect wanted to encourage owners to walk more, get some fresh air before getting into their cars, as well as greet and maybe socialize with their neighbors more. Walking among the oval gardens helped them do just that. Source: UrbanProjectization.com
Although allotment gardens, or community gardens for growing fruits and vegetables, are found in countries all over the world, Denmark takes special pride in dating the phenomenon within its borders back to the mid-1600s, when small gardens were planted outside the fortress walls of Fredericia.
Denmark has been constructing allotments for centuries. Although allotment gardens, or community gardens for growing fruits and vegetables, are found in countries all over the world, Denmark takes special pride in dating the phenomenon within its borders back to the mid-1600s, when small gardens were planted outside the fortress walls of Fredericia. Source: WonderfulEngineering
Although each oval (technically an ellipse in geometric terms, laid out by two stakes and a long piece of string) was approximately 50 feet (15 meters) wide and 80 feet (24.3 meters) long—in the proportion of the Renaissance golden section—the individual gardeners were free to position their cottages, select the hedges, and lay out the interiors.
Once Sørensen laid out the gardens, he prepared a seven-page booklet with guidelines and advice for the gardeners. Although each oval (technically an ellipse in geometric terms, laid out by two stakes and a long piece of string) was approximately 50 feet (15 meters) wide and 80 feet (24.3 meters) long—in the proportion of the Renaissance golden section—the individual gardeners were free to position their cottages, select the hedges, and lay out the interiors. Source: WonderfulEngineering
Even with such liberties embedded in the design, the gardens have some consistencies, particularly a preference for clipped over unclipped hedges, which make them a symbol of pride as well as history.
Sørensen provided four options to help the gardeners, but he stressed that his advice was a guide, not a directive. Even with such liberties embedded in the design, the gardens have some consistencies, particularly a preference for clipped over unclipped hedges, which make them a symbol of pride as well as history. Source: WonderfulEngineering
Instead, the ovals were laid across the curves of the slopes, resulting in a variety of vistas across the gardens and a dynamic flow through the interstitial spaces between the gardens.
His initial plan, a regular grid of ovals spread across the site, gave way to a looser arrangement. Instead, the ovals were laid across the curves of the slopes, resulting in a variety of vistas across the gardens and a dynamic flow through the interstitial spaces between the gardens. Source: Google
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