“It Takes a Lifetime to Build a City”: In Conversation With Mads Birgens From Cobe Architects
Founded in 2006 in Copenhagen, Cobe Architects has become known for its focus on public life, urban transformation, and strategic master planning. From cultural buildings and public spaces to large-scale urban developments, the office has played a central role in shaping Copenhagen's contemporary identity, particularly through its work on harbor regeneration. Among these, the Nordhavn master plan stands out as one of Europe's most ambitious waterfront redevelopments. During the Copenhagen Architecture Biennial, ArchDaily's Editor-in-Chief, Christele Harrouk, met with Mads Birgens, Head of Urbanism at Cobe, at the firm's office in Nordhavn. In the conversation, Birgens reflected on the evolution of the project since the office first won the open international competition in 2008, and on the broader lessons of designing cities for proximity, diversity, and long-term adaptability.
