Høje-Taastrup, Denmark

Høje-Taastrup is a municipality situated on the western outskirts of Greater Copenhagen. It has around 50.000 inhabitants and has multiple centers spread along the main railway line connecting Copenhagen with the rest of Denmark. Modern day Høje-Taastrup came into existence as part of the realization of the 1947 “Finger Plan”, which envisioned railways stretching outwards from central Copenhagen, establishing the current urban sprawl surrounding the capital.

What sets Høje-Taastrup apart from its neighbors is that it was designated to be the region’s main transportation hub in the 1950’s. Over a short period of time, the once rural municipality became a focal point for modernist urban planning. Today, 26 % of the population lives in social housing, and 13 % in severely deprived neighborhoods of which Høje-Taastrup is home to two out of a total of 16 in Denmark.

Focusing on the creation of a more balanced city, the municipality is currently developing multiple new neighborhoods on previously undeveloped land. Meanwhile, the severely deprived neighborhoods are being developed under a common plan with the goal of breaking down the social and physical barriers that isolate them from the surrounding city. The next 10 years will change the urban landscape and infrastructure in Høje-Taastrup on a scale not seen since the 1960’s, giving ample opportunity to further develop the city’s NBS portfolio.