• BLOX is one of Copenhagen's major construction and development projects. It has been ongoing since 2006. BLOX is scheduled to open May 2018
• Copenhagen is already one of the finest destinations for architourists with many iconic buildings to explore
• Stay at The Absalon Hotel in the heart of Vesterbro the meatpacking district

Good architecture is simply normal in Copenhagen, it is expected and luckily for the tourist, it is on display across this perfectly designed capital city. Copenhagen is the city for the architourist.                

This spring, the new BLOX building will officially open. This will be the home of the Danish Architecture Centre / Danish Design Centre. This will be a new extraordinary venue for Copenhagen. BLOX occupies the so-called Brewery Site which sits in a central location 800 metres from City Hall Square, offering great views of the harbour. It will be open to everyone offering exhibitions, workshops, dining and a bookstore. BLOX ties together central Copenhagen and the harbour.

BLOX is structured as multiple blocks stacked on top of each other in a staggered formation. It also contains a wide variety of functions that build on and support each other. Hence the name BLOX! BLOX is designed by one of the world's leading architects, Rem Koolhaas, and his architectural office, OMA. BLOX is funded by the association Realdania, which strives to improve the quality of life for all by improving the built environment.[1]

It features a new bridge across the harbour for pedestrians and of course cyclists in Europe's cycling capital. BLOX says of the bridge: "The winning project is a convincing and elegant bridge. The main feature is a simple, curved line that gives the impression of a graceful, bent bow that serves as a natural link between two parts of the city. The two swing spans are parallel with Langebro and allow passage for large ships. The free height is 5.40 metres, tall enough for the Harbour Buses. With a three-metre lane for pedestrians and four metres for cyclists, the bridge offers ample space to its users. The bridge was designed by an international team led by the British firm BuroHappold Engineering in cooperation with the architectural firms WilkinsonEyre and Urban Agency."

BLOX alone is a good reason for architourism to Copenhagen this year, but there are plenty more iconic buildings to explore. Visit Copenhagen recommend the following:

• Amager Bakke / Copenhill - futuristic and from late 2018 with a ski slope on top of a resource handling centre. Completely unique combining green and design 85 metres high
• National Aquarium Denmark - northern Europe's largest aquarium has water on all sides and the building has five "arms" from the center
• Royal Danish Library - The Black Diamond finished in 1999, is an extension to the Royal Library. The building is shiny, black facets mirror the sea and the sky at the harbour front
• The Royal Danish Opera House - 41,000 square metres with five of the fourteen storeys subterranean. Clad with Jura Gelb limestone with marble in the lobby
• The Royal Danish Playhouse - views of the harbour form the backdrop to a building suspended over water. Observe long bricks & green glass outside & suspended lights inside
• VM Mountain - 80 residential units all with terrace decks and roof gardens protruding from the building's base. This is an inner-suburb neighbourhood elevated to the 11th floor

Head inside to understand Copenhagen's creative history. The Design Museum Danmark is home to one of the world's largest collections of Danish design including works by Arne Jacobsen. The museum is a national hub for research in design history with records dating back to 1890. The collections cover applied art and design from Art Nouveau to contemporary Danish design including glass, ceramics, textile, fashion and poster art. A current exhibition hall celebrates 'The Danish Chair - an international affair'. The chair is one of the strongest representatives of the development of Danish design and a reason why furniture design has made Denmark famous worldwide. The building that houses the museum today was originally built as the former King Frederik's Hospital in 1757. The museum is also home to the delightful Klint Cafe with simple Danish dishes served with a twist.  Entrance is DKK 100.

Stay in a unique building that has been in the same family for over 75 years and remains a family run hotel. The Absalon Hotel located in the heart of the meatpacking district (Vesterbro) is the ideal base to set off from on an architour. The hotel re-launched in mid-2015 following a complete refurbishment which included the conservation of the stunning exterior classical architecture which dominates the street. The hotel is home to 161 suites and bedrooms and plays a large role in bringing locals together with visitors to this city.

The hotel includes designs from the Designers Guild in the UK with three colour themes. From the 'Grass' theme on the top floor with great views of the city,  to the 'Ocean' and 'Berry' themes for the standard rooms on all other floors. In total, there is six room types including a beautiful uniquely designed suite. All suites and bedrooms at the Absalon Hotel are modern in design maintaining the classic foundations of this iconic building. The Absalon operate a CONCEPT24 package which allows a late departure at no extra cost, when booked directly and in advance, meaning the guest keeps the room for 24 hours, no matter what the time of arrival.

The Absalon Hotel offer guests "Velorbis" bikes to rent to further explore this magical city and its buildings. From Vesterbro, the colourful elevated bike bridge connects cyclists to Islands Brygge. Cyclists cross the harbour 7 meters above the water and 'The Bicycle Snake' allows cyclists to arrive in style and with the most wonderful views of Copenhagen's harbour and towers.

Discover Copenhagen's iconic buildings on two wheels and discover architourism at its best.

www.absalon-hotel.dk

The Absalon Hotel: Helgolandsgade 15, DK-1653 Copenhagen +45 33 24 22 11

B&B is priced from 1125 DKK (around £133)

Copenhagen airport is 20 minutes away (5 mins walk to central Station then a 15 mins train)

[1] blox.dk