Harrestrup Stream in the Vigerslev Park

The project is located in the Vigerslev Park and is part of Denmark’s largest climate adaptation initiative, in which the Harrestrup Stream is transformed into a shared cloudburst management structure for ten municipalities within the stream’s catchment area. The project is coordinated with sewer separation works in the individual municipalities, which reduces uncontrolled wastewater overflows and significantly improves water quality inthe stream.

From a technical perspective, Harrestrup Stream has been restored to a natural, meandering course, where variations in flow speed create new hydraulic dynamics. The stream is widened and deepened so it can manage large volumes of water during cloudbursts and extreme rainfall. Edge-zones are reinforced with earth embankments and stone dikes that function as temporary basins. This helps prevent flooding of nearby infrastructure and residential areas.

Along a four-kilometer stretch from Hvidovre Station to Kalveboderne, transitional zones with gentle banks and wetlands are created to support biodiversity and highlight the presence of water in the park. New bridges, paths, foot trails, and wooden decks bring citizens closer to the stream and enhance the area’s recreational value.

At the same time, the park’s existing character is revitalised with the planting of full-canopy trees and denser shrubs, which provide shelter, structure, and spatial variation. Vigerslev Park thus becomes both a climatic buffer zone and an active, green urban space for the local community.

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