Aerial view of Superkilen Park in Norrebro district in Copenhagen, Denmark

© Oliver Förstner/Alam

Design by community. This park is Superkilen

Welcome to Superkilen, a half-mile-long urban park meant to inspire long-time residents, immigrants and visitors to mix in Nørrebro, one of Copenhagen's most culturally and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods. Once a public space suffering from gang activity, graffiti and vandalism, it is now an example of 'extreme public participation'. People living around Superkilen helped design it, including the addition of cultural objects representing their homelands.

We're looking down at the Black Market, the heart of the park, one of three distinct areas where residents gather. The star-shaped fountain in the middle is from Morocco and to the right is a Japanese playground structure shaped like an octopus. It's a style of urban design called placemaking, using street furniture, pedestrian zones and asphalt art to bring the community together. The white lines you see are bicycle lanes helping residents to get around the neighbourhood.