We were invited by the WTA to visit Albertslund to attend the Annual Associations Day hosted by the local council on Saturday 28th August 2010. Albertslund is located 15km west of Copenhagen. On the first day we decided to visit the library in Albertslund. The library is incorporated in a two-storey building that – in addition to the library – comprises municipal administration, cinema and a music venue.
Albertslund's library was designed in 1996 by award winning architects www.henninglarsen.com/projects/albertslund-library. Inside the building, we found some books which featured black and white archive material dating back to the early 1960s-70s. The photographs below include: the first mayor, the town planners, the architects, the early stages in the town planning, people who were behind the construction of the town and those who helped to realise this new town.
The main shopping area in Albertslund centrum.
Sven Aage Madsen : borgmester: mayor of Albertslund municipality between 1/4 1968 1/4 1970
Han Nielson : borgmester: mayor of Albertslund municipality 1/4 1066 - 1/4 1068
View from Albertslund Town Hall Canteen overlooking international student accommodation for Copenhagen University.
We were invited to have coffee with a local artist and jazz musician, Rene and his wife. These are a couple of images taken outside of his house.
Behind the houses there is access to a large, green open space where an artificial hill has been created by the digging of the foundations of the new town.
Bicycles at Albertslund Railway Station
This is The State Prison in Vridsløselille which is a closed prison in Albertslund. It is located on the main highway into Albertslund. Our accommodation was also located along this highway so we would walk past the prison on our route to and from the motel.
Our accommodation was organised by Aase, the Twinning Association Co-ordinator in Albertslund. We stayed at Wittrup Motel for 3 nights.
We attended an official dinner at the Town Hall hosted by the new Mayor. It was an opportunity for the new mayor to meet with members of the Twin Towns. Other council members were present and we sat with Lars who spoke about the controversy surrounding a public art work in Albertslund, a concrete sculpture of an overflowing bathroom.
Albertslund council commissioned another public artwork by the Dutch artist Tamar Frank (link to video: Tamar Frank). It is located in an underpass connecting the residential area to the town centre. There are a series of waterways and walkways which are used by cyclists and pedestrians.
