Town Centre Redevelopment Strategies: A Retrospective View of Danish Experiences

After many years of urban growth Danish downtowns are facing some important choices. Shall the stake one-sidedly be on the town centres as driving forces for growth and 'city marketing', or do they still have a role to play in a broader socio-economic context? In the paper we look back on eight urban planning and design strategieswhich have been practised in most of the larger Danish towns: pedestrian streets, shopping centres, preservation of historic features, waterfronts, concentration of offices, conference and sports facilities, improvement og traffic and transport conditions as well as slum clearence and urban renewal. To a certain extent parallels are drawn to international experiences, especially where these are of such a nature that they can be assumed transferred to Danish connctions. Conclusively, the strategies are discussed in the light of the turn of Danish urban planning during late years, where increased internationalisation is in focus and where it seems as if the social dimension of the town centre planning is slipping out of the hands of the urban planners.