About

Rantzausgade in Copenhagen’s Nørrebro district has become a telling example of how a traditional working-class street can be transformed into a contemporary urban space centred on people, climate resilience and local life. Once little more than a busy through-road leading out of the city’s old fortifications, the street is now recognised for its calm, green atmosphere and the way it blends cycling, social space and environmental design. Historically, this part of Nørrebro was known as the “rhubarb quarter”, a patchwork of market gardens and modest housing built at the turn of the twentieth century. For decades Rantzausgade served primarily as a traffic corridor, lined with small shops and factories, but dominated by cars and noise.

In recent years, the City of Copenhagen, in collaboration with design offices such as DE Urbanisten, has reimagined the street as a model for urban renewal that combines everyday liveability with climate adaptation. The project narrowed the carriageway, introduced continuous cycle lanes and widened pavements to encourage walking and outdoor seating. Along its length, new trees and rain-absorbing planters now form part of an integrated drainage system, capable of retaining stormwater during heavy rainfall.

This so-called “rainstreet” concept allows Rantzausgade to act as infrastructure as well as a social meeting point, transforming what was once hard tarmac into a green and resilient streetscape.

The design also emphasises flexibility. Rather than fixing every element, the scheme includes adaptable “flex zones” that can function as loading bays in the morning, market stalls at midday and café terraces in the evening. These spaces are fitted with removable furniture and modular planting, making it easy for residents and shopkeepers to shape their surroundings. Such an approach not only reduces flood risk but also brings life back to a street that had been losing its local identity.

The transformation of Rantzausgade demonstrates how small-scale, carefully considered interventions can deliver wider benefits to a dense neighbourhood. It reconciles the need for climate-conscious infrastructure with the social ambitions of a mixed urban community. By prioritising cyclists and pedestrians, and by reclaiming public space for social use, the street has become both more sustainable and more humane. Today Rantzausgade is no longer just a route through Nørrebro, but a living illustration of Copenhagen’s ambition to build a city for people, shaped as much by rainwater and bicycles as by its own residents.