"This is my neighborhood – this is where I live."
Welcome to IrmaByen. A neighbourhood born out of the history of the supermarket chain Irma and built on strong values of responsibility, respect, community and quality. Today – a safe and vibrant base for over 3,000 people who have found their home in the neighbourhood’s owner-occupied, cooperative and rental residences. A small community with strong solidarity and a living history.
Over a decade, ALFA Development transformed the old industrial site where Irma used to have its headquarters and coffee roasting plant, with sensitivity and respect for the history of the site, and with the vision of creating a modern neighbourhood for modern people. IrmaByen has diverse housing options to accommodate different generations, including terraced houses, apartment buildings and detached houses. The neighbourhood included a variety of architectural expressions, sustainable materials and high-quality construction, focusing on natural light and a sense of spaciousness both indoors and outdoors, squares and green oases. IrmaByen has unique solidarity and a strong local identity closely connected to the rest of Rødovre and the neighbouring capital, Copenhagen.
In many ways, we regard IrmaByen as our apprenticeship piece. We really made huge efforts, and fortunately, we succeeded in creating a vibrant and green neighbourhood with a proud common identity. The residents enjoy living here and IrmaByen as a whole has become a great asset to the Municipality of Rødovre.
The atmosphere varies in IrmaByen: from the retirement units in Orangerihaven with red tiled roofs and classic architecture to Kaffetårnet and Børge Olsens Plads just fifty metres away. Here, the buildings become larger with more stringent architecture, balconies, natural light, urban atmosphere and a higher pace. From village to urban atmosphere. From terraced and cluster houses to multi-storey buildings. From denser development to airy green spaces and urban squares. Vibrant versatility within just a few square metres.
As in all our development projects, we started with the basic questions: Who would like to live here? And what would we value if we were to live here ourselves? These questions guided us throughout the development process.
Today, IrmaByen is fully developed. A prime example of a successful urban development. A lively neighbourhood for all age groups. A place where people settle and feel they belong.
Strong community
As residents in a new neighbourhood, everyone feels the need to belong. To engage with other people to create a community. To know the neighbours and help each other. It creates safety, meaning and joy.
IrmaByen is designed to foster a community and for residents to meet – indoors and outdoors. This applies to the entire neighbourhood, and not least to the newest development, Living by ALFA. The heart of IrmaByen with shops, a restaurant and take-away. A natural meeting place for the neighbourhood’s residents.
Plenty of life from the start
A new neighbourhood requires more than just buildings and urban spaces. The buildings constitute the setting – the environment is created by people, their lives and movements, their interactions and play.
A new neighbourhood needs a kickstart, so residents quickly feel at home. In IrmaByen, we set up a think tank that came up with ideas to create an active urban life from the beginning. With specialists in architecture, urban planning, media and culture, life emerged between the buildings: Exercise days, summer parties, Christmas tree lighting, carnival, jazz in the garden, and much more.
However, professionals were not alone in giving their input. Children and young people contributed too. Through several workshops, they provided inspiration for ways of making the neighbourhood lively and interesting to them.
In IrmaByen, art contributes to creating identity and cohesion. The renowned Irish sculptor Sean McKenna visited the neighbourhood to gather inspiration to tie together the past and the present.
As the former supermarket chain Irma produced its famous coffee here, ‘Irma coffee’ became the theme, and giant wooden coffee beans, placed around the area, became the manifestation. The beans serve as art, benches and fitness equipment. A recurring element in the area and a daily reminder of its history.
A green neighbourhood
The park area, Den Grønne Kile, winds through the neighbourhood. In the city park, residents and visitors can take a walk and find peace. Wild grassy areas, flowers, trees and a rainwater basin provide nature experiences for people and create habitats for wildlife.
Closer to the housing units, different squares create outdoor meeting places. A spacious wooden patio is a natural gathering point for the residents of IrmaByen, whether for a barbecue evening or just a cozy chat. For children and active souls, there is a playground and a multi-purpose court for play and activity.
Cirkelpladsen has its own story as the neighbourhood’s focal point and meeting place. Surrounded by trees, giving the impression of a beautiful, living roof, the square provides space for concerts and other activities on several levels. The square also functions as a stormwater basin during cloudbursts.
Timeline
