Stephen Gadd
March 11th, 2019

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What a difference a tree makes (photo: Illustration BIG)

A proposed design for a new 27 metre-high headquarters building in Nordhavn for world-famous architects BIG, fronted by Bjarke Ingels, received a critical mauling earlier this year and was turned down by Copenhagen’s technical and environmental committee.

On TV2 Lorry, Konservative committee member Jakob Næsager went as far as calling it “historically ugly”, and it was also criticised for not being ‘green’ enough.

Can’t see the wood for the trees
However, it now seems that BIG has managed to turn the tide of criticism – so much so that the building is expected to be approved when the same committee takes a vote later today.

Apparently, it was BIG’s declared intention to plant more trees around the building on Sundmolen that seems to have made the difference.

At the last meeting only representatives of Socialdemokratiet, Dansk Folkeparti and Liberal Alliance voted in favour of the building. Now, though, SF and Radikale have changed their minds.

“We’re ready to vote in favour because we’ve been reassured about the building’s sustainability and that it will give something back to the city,” Mette Annelie Rasmussen from Radikale told BT.

Potential terrorists disappearing from centres
According to new figures from the police seen by Radio24syv, 45 people suspected of being radicalised Islamists have disappeared from asylum and transit centres in Denmark and are wanted by the police. The authorities fear that these people could constitute a terror risk. A number of parties have voiced their concerns and Liberal Alliance has been in talks with the government to see whether it is possible to imprison or electronic tag suspected radicals, reports TV2 Nyheder. However, it appears this solution is not legally possible. Denmark’s intelligence agency, PET, said it was “seriously focused on reports and inquiries regarding possible radicalisation”.

More charged with swapping sex video
A further 148 people have been charged with sharing a widely-viewed video on Messenger featuring under-18s involved in sexual activity at a private house in north Zealand. Prior to that, 1,004 young people in Denmark had been charged with passing the video around, reports DR Nyheder. Fifty of those newly-charged have shared the video despite widely-published warnings that to do so is punishable by law and the massive media attention the case has received since the start of 2018. “It makes me sorry that we’ve not managed to get the message across. This is serious – first and foremost for those in the video, and that’s what all this is about, but there can be serious consequences for those who share the video,” said the police commissioner, Flemming Kjærside.

Arla cutting emissions on farms
Dairy giant Arla has announced a new climate plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It wants to cut the rate of emissions for every litre of milk produced by 30 percent by 2030 and to neutralise it totally by 2050, reports Politiken. The plan covers 1.5 million cows, 10,000 farms and 70 dairies in northwest Europe. Although Arla has previously implemented schemes to tackle emissions connected to dairies and transport, this will be the first time it has drawn up a plan that encompasses the entire farm’s production cycle. The company is already in talks with a group of ‘pioneer farmers’ who produce milk with a very low average greenhouse gas emission level.

Danish island for sale
Halmø, a 43-hectare island between Funen and Æro, is up for sale. The owners – an 82-year-old married couple who bought Halmø around 50 years ago – have reluctantly decided to sell due to their old age, reports TV2 Nyheder. The couple would rather have seen it remain in the family, but none of the four children were interested in taking it on. According to the latest valuation, the 200 sqm house is valued at 3.8 million kroner and the ground at 1.2 million, but according to the estate agents handling the sale, anyone wanting to own their own island will have to stump up around 15-20 million.