We are moving away from the concept of non-place that has often characterized ports throughout history. A definition that circumscribed situations in which historical elements were confined to a showcase of curiosities and where in the same area there were jumbles of multiple cultures without a real identity.

Today, port identity exists and is increasingly asserting itself thanks to architecture, thus diverting from the formation of non-places by operating on the opposite front, giving life to real centers of aggregation and culture.

Why the example is Northern Europe

The Northern European countries are distinguished by their aesthetic sense and this is now established. Buildings with elegant lines, spaces designed to be on a human scale and everything designed to restore the right importance to places that have suffered long periods of abandonment.

Often far from the historic centers of the cities, the ports have been abandoned until their return as commercial centers and tourist landing places. Northern European cities were the first to undertake a policy of redevelopment of these areas also due to their proximity to the city centers.

Urban compactness has facilitated the incorporation of ports into the urban fabric.

Another factor that made this restyling possible was the versatility of the port buildings, adaptable to residential complexes, hotels and offices. What is born is a new neighborhood that blends well with the existing fabric, giving a touch of modernity by restoring the link between local culture and water.

This is why we are not only talking about a docking point for tourist ships, but also about the hub of the new era city.

The Baltic Sea and ports on the sea

Thinking of the ports of Northern Europe, the redevelopment that is affecting the city of Tallinn immediately comes to mind. The Estonian capital entrusted the 2030 Masterplan to the studio Zaha Hadid Architect in 2016 and over the course of these years the idea of ​​continuing the medieval historic center of the city in a uniform way, without sharp breaks, but maintaining the existing guidelines, has begun to take shape.

The port area will be characterized by spaces dedicated to culture and an efficient public transport system is planned to support the growing number of cruise passengers and tourists who arrive here by sea. The promenade is the centerpiece of the project and the first premises and museum centers that make up the great puzzle of logistical and real estate development in the area are starting to appear.

Another port that exemplifies this Northern European revolution is that of Copenhagen. Nordhavn, the old port area, is now an integral part of the Danish capital, as well as one of its main residential centers. The focus of the project was not to affect the originality of the area, but to redevelop it while maintaining its native identity.

Today this district is known as the ideal city on the water where sustainability reigns alongside luxury. Innovation also lies in the clauses that provide for the payment of a special tax for 60 years by those who will live near the new subway line being planned, a valorization that comes from the recognition of development.

The Waterfront Cultural Center by Kengo Kuma completes the experience by converting the disused area of ​​the old city port and placing the element of water at the center of the architecture.