Let There Be Light

Let There Be Light. Copenhagen, Denmark. February 2016.  

This was my first step into a Lutheran Church and man was it a memorable one. When my friend and I visited Grundtvig's Kirke in Copenhagen, I expected significant foot traffic because it is one of the most recognizable churches in the city, however we walked into complete silence and this stunning, light-filled nave. Grundtvig's Kirke is known for it's Expressionist exterior and Gothic-inspired interior. While the exterior reminds me of a crazy space ship straight out of Krypton the interior is beautiful in its silence and simplicity. 

Downward Spiral

Downward Spiral. Copenhagen, Denmark. February 2016. 

Copenhagen is an architecturally rich city; knowing this I took the time to research and compile a shortlist of buildings to visit. On the top of my list was this iconic building on the waterfront. Aptly named Gemini, this modern building was converted from neighboring seed silos in the early 2000s. From an aerial view, the two silos look like a figure eight and the interior is this incredibly strange looking space ship. Designed by Dutch based architectural firm MVRDV, the most surprising part of the plan is that the living spaces are actually clipped on to the outside of the silos. 

In minimalist fashion, their is no obvious entrance into the building. I waited until a resident walked out of a silo and convinced  her to let me in to take videos and photos. I could not get enough of the black and white interior. I must have become hypnotized by the spirals because I took photos from every possible curve and lost track of time; it was hard for me to leave. I was just waiting for someone to report me and chase me out, however I think folks are used to having hypnotized strangers wander aimlessly in their atrium. 

Supercool Superkilen

Supercool Superkilen. Copenhagen, Denmark. February 2016. 

Copenhagen is uncomfortably cold in February and when you travel with me, I will likely drag you out into that freezing weather in search of an urban art space, naturally. This was one of those winter days when you could not feel your hands or your toes after being outside for ten minutes no matter how many layers or hand warmers you used. And of course, this was the perfect day to drag my friend away from indoor comforts for Superkilen. 

I had my heart set on visiting Superkilen and so we braved the weather to walk there. Located outside of city center, it is a very unique outdoor park that is also home to various "pavilions" a.k.a. installations from around the globe, a mini version of the a World Expo. A BIG reason I wanted to visit this park was to see a Bjarke Ingels collaboration; a visit to Copenhagen would not be complete without visiting something BIG.