Nordhavn, Copenhagen, 2021–2024
Tunnelfabrikken
- Year
- 2021–2024
- Location
- Nordhavn, Copenhagen
- Client / Partner
- NREP, Unionkul, By & Havn
- Category
- Urban Development
Challenge
There are very few areas in Denmark's capital region where one can build a development that will support an entire new community – including housing, workplaces, and cultural offerings. But what if the building is already standing? The transformation of an unused tunnel factory on the outskirts of Nordhavn is underway. Tunnelfabrikken takes root in its industrial past, and will soon be home to a community of startups, students, urban farmers, innovators in sustainability, architects, workshops, and everyday people.
Approach
VOLCANO played a role in the development of Tunnelfabrikken's culture and guiding values. By getting stakeholders involved pre-renovation, we strengthened the connections between those interested in being part of Tunnelfabrikken's future. Breaking down silos between industries and setting the scene for cooperation was vital for creating a collaborative culture. VOLCANO curated and facilitated three workshops over half a year for a core group of stakeholders representing the different facets of Tunnelfabrikken's future, exploring the themes Togetherness, Collaboration, Openness, and Community, each with a creative aspect (music, performance, food & beverage). The workshops were executed by VOLCANO with support from NREP, Unionkul and By&Havn. Members of the core group included representatives from Ekho Ekho, Copenhagen Contemporary, TAP1, Enter Art Fair, Tomorrow, Airtrix, Klax, SLIP festival, Meyers, Rainmaking Loft, Proptech, Woods, PB43, Krøyer Sætter Lassen, BRIQ, & Umeus.
This helped the developers activate the area and spread the word about the project as they approached the renovation, and helped define, plan, and initiate a series of concrete collaborations that gave the core group of stakeholders experience working together while activating Tunnelfabrikken during the development phase. "We learned that curiosity is more important than being right. We learned that a well-functioning, diverse group of people make better decisions than an individual… respecting each other, and finding the space to be able to really hear each other, is paramount. Without that, you can't succeed." – Harley Dubois, Co-founder of Burning Man, at Workshop #1.
