Who is this article for?
I would say: sustainability delegations, green professionals, “one womans’s trash is another womans’s treasure” enthusiasts, sanitation professionals, the renovation industry, DIY enthusiasts, upcycling experts, social entrepreneurs, and the “I never throw anything away.” kind of people

Sorting your waste, ‘repair cafés,’ and upcycling in Copenhagen are becoming increasingly important aspects of how people strive to live a conscious life with good recycling habits. Recycling stations in Copenhagen are evolving into cultural houses, entrepreneurial spaces, educational facilities, and meeting places for Copenhageners. And how do they achieve this?

Take, for example, Sydhavn Genbrugscenter, located in an area still unfamiliar to many sustainability delegations and tourists—the district of the upcoming Stejlepladsen neighborhood.

Making Sydhavn Genbrugscenter a focal point in this new neighborhood, built around old warehouses still smelling of Arla milk and fish, is both impressive and meaningful.
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group in 2019, this recycling center functions as an educational, entrepreneurial, and cultural space—and yes, you can also drop off your waste.

When you visit, you quickly notice that the employees take great pride in working at Sydhavn Genbrugscenter. They assist with sorting your waste and share the stories of the place—ALL the stories—from crafting sculptures in recycled materials for school kids, to the operations of the ‘waste mafia’ in the neighborhood, and how Copenhagen theatres can transform their approach to building stage scenery and props in a circular way—centered around this specific recycling center and other large ones in Copenhagen. Sydhavn Genbrugscenter is a must-visit if I’ve caught your attention.

Sculptural Waste - Nordhavn - Nærgenbrugsstation
At the local recycling center in Nordhavn, located in Lüders Parking House, sorting your waste becomes intuitive through transparent pillars filled with small pieces of textile, thousands of can lids, beer bottle caps, and metal screws, creating small pieces of art. The recycling center, with its round shape, is a sculpture in itself, designed by one of Copenhagen’s recycling experts, the Lendager Group.

I particularly like the free ‘library’ featuring pictures of how Nordhavn used to look in its more maritime industrial days. The library is impressively large and also contains many books in foreign languages if you're interested.

Having employees who work there daily, performing maintenance, keeping the place tidy, and acting as kind of community managers, social workers, and cultural project managers works very well. It makes visiting a pleasant and secure experience. On one occasion, I was there with my daughter, and the employee that day playfully blew bubbles at her and gave her a set so she could continue blowing them herself.

Waste as Destination Development - Copenhill
Waste and skiing have also been combined in Copenhagen for some years now, with Amager Ressourcecenter building an incineration plant topped with a skiing slope and hiking routes, allowing Copenhageners to ski in their own capital. Combining waste incineration with a recreational purpose is, of course, destination development and experience architecture at its best—and a really great idea—making it worth a visit.

But aren’t these Copenhagen recycling stations smelly, a little sticky, and unattractive? Smelly? Yes, a bit, but just hold your breath a few times while walking up Copenhill, and you won’t notice much! And... they are actually quite beautiful in form and color.

Would you like to take your delegation or colleagues on a “Recycling-Center-Hop-Tour” around Copenhagen with me? Then don’t WASTE your time—just reach out!