Copenhagen has been designated UNESCO's World Capital of Architecture for 2023,

The Danish capital is brimming with examples of sustainable design

Chief among them is the ongoing redevelopment of the once-industrial Nordhavn (or Northern Harbor) into a pedestrian-friendly "smart" district complete with green energy supplies and a "super bikeway" link to the city center. Recent years have seen abandoned grain and cement silos converted into offices and apartment blocks, while a sprawling United Nations campus, UN City, opened there in 2013.

Danish architecture firm Henning Larsen's latest addition to the neighborhood, Nordø, is emblematic of the transformation taking place. With a redbrick facade that honors to the site's industrial past, sizable public gardens and a rooftop terrace, the 115-home development promises residents an "island oasis" with easy access to the district's growing collection of restaurants and public spaces.