Art and safety go hand-in-hand at two of Copenhagen’s train stations

Through art, the sites will be made safer and more secure

Today in Copenhagen, the areas around Sjælør Station and Vigerslev Allé Station are perceived as unsafe. The viaducts are dark to pass, and therefore there is a great local desire to do something about the two urban spaces. Against this background, the Technical and Environmental Committee in the City of Copenhagen must now decide whether the areas should be decorated with art to enhance the visual expression and security around the stations.

Safety through art

Copenhagen’s Mayor of Technology and the Environment Ninna Hedeager Olsen has already announced her support for such a solution, stating that “It must be safe to move around and stay in Copenhagen, and when art can contribute to a greater security experience locally, it makes good sense to decorate the two urban spaces. I hope that the initiatives can make a positive difference, and I am really happy that so many locals have been involved in the development of their local areas, as is the case in Sydhavnen and in the Kulbanekvarteret. With this kind of commitment, the residential areas' status as vulnerable is definitely only temporary.”

To increase safety under the bridge at Sjælør Station, an urban space with artistic lighting will be established in the dark passages, and the walls of the bridge will be covered with coloured tiles that illustrate the sunset to the west and a sunrise to the east.

By adding lighting and lining the viaduct's dark concrete constructions with coloured tiles, the visual expression and the perceived safety for commuters, pedestrians and cyclists on Sjælør Boulevard is enhanced.

Meanwhile, under the viaduct at Vigerslev Allé Station, an urban space consisting of tiles will be established on the viaduct's concrete construction illuminated by the existing street lighting in order to support a better coherence in the city, elevate the visual expression and create a safer passage for commuters, pedestrians and cyclists. The process of selecting artists and works of art has been initiated and is expected to be clarified in early 2021.