Funen lies at the heart of Denmark, home to Odense and the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. It is shaped by the Odense River and its surrounding catchment. The watershed drains nearly one-third of the island into Odense Fjord, a coastal area currently in poor ecological condition, highlighting the urgent need for integrated water management and nature-based solutions. Co-innovation Lab 1 explores how nature-based solutions can create resilient and multifunctional spaces in urban environments.
Co-innovation Lab 1 centers on Vollsmose in Odense – an area undergoing major urban
redevelopment. It explores how Nature-based Solutions can be integrated into densely built urban environments to address climate-related challenges, including increased rainfall, flooding, biodiversity loss, and the urban heat island effect.
Co-innovation Lab 1 is a collaboration between Odense Municipality, VandCenter Syd, and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), presenting a concrete proposal for Nature-based Solutions and Blue-Green Infrastructure, including:
- Constructed wetlands for stormwater treatment and retention
- Daylighting and re-meandering of piped streams
- Green trenches with filter soil and drainage
- Controlled diffuse discharge systems
Beyond technical solutions, Co-innovation Lab 1 emphasizes social aspects such as safety, recreational value, and local acceptance. The goal is to create multifunctional urban spaces that combine climate adaptation with improved quality of life and enhanced nature value.
Stakeholder involvement, highlighting local needs
Local youth in Vollsmose were engaged through WaterWalks to learn more about the current use of the existing area, as well as initiate dialogue on the perceptions of the local space and NbS potential. Findings revealed how bog areas were perceived as unsafe, but overall attitudes toward NbS were positive if the water remained shallow.
Research showed local NbS potential
The research activities aimed to demonstrate how climate adaptation can be integrated as a natural part of urban development – and how synergies can be created between green and blue structures, technical solutions, and local needs. SDU developed a detailed baseline as the foundation for assessing the potential for water quality and climate adaptation. The baseline provided:
- An overview of existing potentials and challenges in the local area
- The ability to build on strong elements and address problematic conditions, preventing new issues from arising
- A solid starting point for linking different solutions and increasing resilience