Copenhagen City Guide with Michael Frazzetto

Copenhagen City Guide
With Michael Frazzetto, Six Degrees

In everything Beulah undertakes, we are defined by civic-minded responsibility, rigorous research, global vision, innovative thinking, and a passion for design and culture. We frequently look to a range of industry and thought leaders to share their thinking, insights, and perspectives, often drawn from lived experiences.

With a wealth of inspiration and rich storytelling at our fingertips, we share this with you by way of our Beulah City Guides Series, an exploration of cities around the world, through the eyes of compelling industry and thought leaders.

After gaining global architecture experience, Michael Frazzetto joined leading user experience architecture specialists Six Degrees 18 years ago, quickly becoming an innovative and highly-revered Director and team leader. An avid contributor to the architecture and design industry, Michael is also a Melbourne Design Review Panel member and a member of the Australian Institute of Architects.

As Director at Six Degrees Architects, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in social and sustainable design. Becoming well-known for their signature design of Meyers Place Bar in Melbourne, Six Degrees revolutionised the hospitality design scene in Melbourne. This early formative period of working in hospitality, learning and studying social behaviours, enabled a deep understanding of what brings people joy, and what makes them feel comfortable and connected. This knowledge paired with leadership in sustainable design informs Six Degrees’ approach toward projects of any scale and the team here at Beulah are extremely excited to be partnering with them on our new Brunswick project.

Michael is an extensive traveller and we are excited to share with you Michael’s city guide for Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen. The city is renowned for its strong urban culture development lined with cultural and architectural institutions and infrastructure. Michael will be guiding us around the beautiful northern European city.

This early formative period of working in hospitality, learning and studying social behaviours, enabled a deep understanding of what brings people joy, and what makes them feel comfortable and connected.

Michael, thank you for taking part in our City Guide Series! You’ve chosen to share your experience and knowledge of Copenhagen with us – why did you choose Copenhagen to explore with us?

I studied Architecture and Urban Design at the Royal Danish Academy under internationally renowned urbanist Professor Jan Gehl. I lived and partied in the Erasmus scene and made lifelong friends. Copenhagen is characterised by a human scale and has always been a perfect case study for us at Six Degrees. The Danes have worked hard since the 1960’s to create a city that puts people first. They’ve removed cars, planted street trees, installed safe bike lanes, and created ‘woonerf’ streets, a Dutch term which translates to ‘living’ street. As a student, I loved cycling and exploring the streets watching the Danes at play. They’ve also invested heavily in high-quality architecture and infrastructure resulting in a city where urban mobility is dignified, democratic, and enjoyable, and buildings are designed with the needs of people first.

Where do you stay in Copenhagen? Any particular neighbourhood or hotel?

I lived in a vibrant suburb called Amager which was home to a diverse population of immigrants, artists, and creatives. I found it more interesting than some of the gentrifying suburbs like the inner Nørrebro and Østerbro. It was similar to Melbourne’s Brunswick in a way, gritty, honest but fun, interesting, and in transition, undergoing rapid change.

The Danes have worked hard since the 1960’s to create a city that puts people first.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Copenhagen Light Festival

Superkilen, Nørrebro

Can you share with us your favourite picks for each category below?

Cultural institutions

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art – A one-hour train journey to the north.
Thorvaldsens – A single artist sculpture museum with beautiful interiors and a nice connection to Rome
CC Copenhagen Contemporary on Refshaleoen

Retail Destinations

Tableau flower shop
Torvehallerne grocery market at Nørreport
B&W second-hand mid-century furniture market!

Places to eat

La Banchina, a waterside shack with a swimming jetty & sauna
Lille bakery – a small, quality bakery with the best sausage roll in the world
Darcys café on Rantzausgade

Kodbyen

Torvehallerne grocery market

Amager Strandparken

Nightlife destinations

Christiania is a ’free town’ located on the Christianshavn with the coolest (and cheapest) bars.
They were perfect for students and similar to bars you’d find in Melbourne’s inner north or Brooklyn.
Kodbyen – former meatpacking district turned thriving hospitality and nightlife hub
Hangaren (The Hanger) Openair nightlife and music venue

Wellness destinations

Harbourside saunas – small and hidden, go find them!

Things to do in this city

Sit by the harbour with a book all afternoon followed by moule frites at Kayak Bar
A bike ride to the art galleries along the coast, either Arken or Louisiana
A coffee and walk around the inner lakes and forts (which were built to keep the invading Swedes out!)

Architecture

I love the shiny modern metro stations, from the amount of natural light they receive to the clocks, bins, and signage. Everything is designed and considered.

Other favourites are the small squares like Gråbrødretorv, Skydebanehaven and Blågårdsplads and the buildings that ‘hold’ them. This is where Jan Gehl would hold David Attenborough-like classes and we’d be taught to quietly observe people and their behaviours.

Banegaarden – Formerly home to the city’s old industrial rail yards and workshops, it is now an evolving mixed-use precinct of hospitality and markets

Finally, do you have any tips, tricks or advice when travelling to Copenhagen?

Grab a bike, lose yourself in the city, get to the waterfront and over to Holmen and explore further north from there. When exploring the city centre, the arterial pedestrianised street, ‘Stroget’ is a handy way to orientate yourself, however, it’s the interesting little pockets and lanes which branch off where the real interest lies.

God fornøjelse rundt omkring i byen! (Go out and explore!)

About Michael Frazzetto

Michael Frazzetto is a registered Architect with Accreditation from the University of Melbourne in landscape architecture, urban design and architecture. Michael studied also at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen under the internationally recognized urbanist Prof. Jan Gehl. He has been with Six Degrees for eighteen years working as a senior project architect on many of our large-scale, mixed-use. commercial, residential and institutional projects. He has worked with our major clients, including Lendlease, Grocon, MAB, GPT, PDG Corporation, Tetris Capital, InfraRed Capital, Pellicano, TOGA, Riverlee, Long River, Caydon, MIRVAC & Vicinity Group