This master thesis investigates key influential factors, that affects the potential for urban densification within Greater Copenhagen. Densification is portrayed as one planning initiative, that can help provide more housing units to a real estate market experiencing increasing demand for more housing. To support a more efficient and sustainable integration of public transport with housing coupled to an intensified land-use, the thesis centers on the potential for urban densification in so-called station proximity areas with an existing low level of densification – typically areas containing existing detached houses.
The thesis uses Kuben Management and Copenhagen Economics’ estimated densification volume for Greater Copenhagen, presented in the report ‘Boligmarkedsanalyse for hovedstaden’ (2018) as the outset for the investigation. Using Habermas’ theoretical ramification of society’s organization, coupled to Campbell’s theoretical workings on the tensions between economic, social and environ-mental planning, the potential for capitalizing on the theoretical densification volume, presented by Kuben Management and Copenhagen Economics, is assessed. The assessment builds on three case investi-gation areas to which quantitative and qualitative data is treated, in order to shed light on the eco-nomic, legislative, planning, and social conside-rations, which ultimately define the realizable densification potential for a given area.
The investigation indicates, that densification in Greater Copenhagen, at the time, is complex and from an economic, social and planning perspective, other planning initiatives, such as brown-field development, seems more suitable. The overall potential for densification is also questioned.