Havneholmen Metro Station in Copenhagen, Denmark
Step onto the platform at Copenhagen's Havneholmen metro station, which opened in 2024, and something is not quite right: a bench hangs from the ceiling, a trash can juts sideways from a wall, an information screen tilts out at an odd angle, and the clocks overhead seem to be running on their own schedule. The disorientation is by design. It's the work of the Danish artist group Superflex, who…
Upon entering the Copenhagen Havneholmen metro station, first opened in 2024, an unusual sensation sets in. Benches dangle from the ceiling, trash cans are askew from their walls, information screens lean at unnatural angles, and overhead clocks seem to tick to their own rhythm. This unsettling disarray is not a malfunction but rather the deliberate creation of Danish artist collective Superflex.
Their vision was to transform the space as if the metro trains were traveling at the speed of light. Under these conditions, according to their reasoning, gravity and the room's architecture would alter, causing the benches and signage to follow suit.
Remarkably, the metro operator granted Superflex extensive creative freedom. The artists were told, "just go for it," and in some instances, the client's directives proved even more unconventional than the artists had anticipated. The distorted fixtures coexist with their properly aligned counterparts, ensuring the station remains fully operational despite the artistic distortions.
Passengers can still check the current time and determine the next train's arrival, even as the clocks, signs, and benches seem to have drifted off course.
Written by urgent.news from Atlas Obscura's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
