In this master thesis, temporary urbanism as a strategic tool in urban planning in Copenhagen is investigated. The results are based on empirical findings from literature investigating the phenomenon of temporary urbanism, publications by the Municipality of Copenhagen as well as supplementary interviews with selected actors in the field.

The findings are analyzed in two parts. The first part analyzes actors involved in creating temporary urbanism and their relations. The second part analyzes the influence temporary urbanism has on an urban space. For this, Henri Lefebvre’s concepts of representations of space and spatial practice are used as the theoretical basis. The analysis constitutes an understanding of how temporary urbanism can be a way of producing space and how it is used as a strategic tool in urban planning from the Municipality of Copenhagen perspective.

The results of this master thesis show that temporary urbanism can be a way of producing space if it is incorporated in the future development of the city and not incentivized by an economic gain. The thesis further concludes that temporary urbanism is used as a strategic tool by the Municipality of Copenhagen to reach its ambitions to became the most livable city in the world, and at the same time be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.