Designing a modern village

In Albertslund, nature is woven into everyday life. The new Hyldager Quarter sits on the outskirts of the Danish capital, where the city meets open countryside, surrounded by dense planting and the distinctive rings of poplar trees that mark the landscape.

To the north lies the historic village of Vridsløselille with its characteristic winding streets and small-scale architecture. To the east, Hyldagerhallen already serves as an important gathering point for the area. Our winning proposal creates a new neighborhood shaped by these surroundings — a landscape-anchored place where different housing types, generations, and lifestyles can find space.

The district totals 32,375 m² and includes approximately 300 homes, a community center and café, utility gardens, greenhouses, a forest playground within a preserved tree circle, and a central pond that serves as both landmark and rainwater system.

Albertslund envisions itself as a city built for children and nature. We've preserved the characteristic poplar tree circles and as many existing trees as possible, aiming for around 60% green space across the district — the same proportion as the wider municipality. Public spaces are structured in three concentric circles: at the center, a meeting place for all residents; in the middle, connected courtyards that support adjacent housing while offering facilities to the whole community; and at the outer edge, a surrounding nature preserve that provides shelter from noise and wind while creating nature experiences.

Rainwater management is fully integrated into the site's natural topography, collecting, filtering, and directing excess water to the river. Store Vejleå has been re-meandered to bring the stream deeper into the site, creating varied edges, natural play areas, and visible water features throughout.

The village form

The development is shaped by nature but inspired by the character of Vridsløselille. Taking cues from the village's farms, Hyldager Quarter is built as a collection of smaller clusters that together form a varied but recognizable residential area. Each cluster links to a particular character area, where architecture and landscape enter into dialogue with each other and the surrounding context.

At the heart of the district, a large car-free urban space brings together recognizable elements: Hyldagerhallen, the new community house (Hyldagerhuset), and a central street pond. The street pond functions as gathering space, playful landscape element, and climate adaptation in one, visibly handling rainwater and giving the place life and change throughout the year.

The architecture responds to three conditions. The Townhouses, closest to Vridsløselille, take cues from the village with its gabled forms, brick and plaster facades, and recognizable scale. The Forest Houses are lower buildings within the dense green edge to the southeast, using natural materials that blend into the landscape. The Hill Houses are taller volumes to the west, providing noise protection from surrounding motorways while opening views toward the tree circles and open landscape beyond.

The winning proposal has been developed with Casa Nord, and is designed to achieve DGNB Silver certification. Local plan work will start after summer.