Copenhagen is getting three new islands

Students and residents in Copenhagen, Denmark, will soon have an intriguing new waterside environment for education and recreation. The Nordhavn Islands are three circular manmade islands on the coast that will cater for learning, watersports and events, as well as host a new vegetation environment.

Designed by C.F. Møller Landscape, the development will be located close to the new Copenhagen International School campus, which is currently under construction and was also designed by C.F. Møller. The new 25,000-sq m (270,000-sq ft) school is due to open in January 2017 and, when it does, it will apparently be the largest in Copenhagen. It will comprise four sections, each for different age ranges, and will feature 12,000 solar cells.
The Nordhavn Islands were actually funded by the school, but C.F. Møller had to compete against a number of other proposals. Its successful design is aimed at serving both as an extension of the school, to be used as part of lessons, and by the public. In addition, it is hoped that the development will connect the school with the surrounding area and the surrounding area with the rest of the city.

C.F. Møller describes the islands as an "urban park on the water." Each of the three islands has its own characteristics, with the activities that will take place on each island varying accordingly. "The Reef" is different to the other islands, in that it will act as an extension of the quayside, with a multifunctional platform teaching and events.

The other two islands are self-contained pools surrounded by walkways. "The Lagoon" provides a space for watersports activities such as kayak polo, while "The Sun Bath" is a harbor bath with protected areas for swimming and a sauna.

The unique and "rugged" nature of the Nordhavn Islands is designed to differentiate the development from Nordhavn's other water activity offerings. The islands will be surrounded by free-growing aquatic vegetation that will contribute to this, but that will also provide a habitat for wildlife and act as a "natural safety zone" for young children in the event that they should fall in.

The Nordhavn Islands are expected to be complete in the middle of 2017.