THE VIEW
Who Owns the View? is the title of an essay by architectural critic Martin C Pedersen written in 2016 about 432 park avenue – the tallest residential skyscraper in the western Hemisphere located in Manhattan. Designed by starchitect Raphael Vinoly (of London’s Walkie Talkie or Amsterdam’s Lightning Bolt fame), it is on New York’s infamous Central park “billionaire’s row”, which contains some of the priciest real estate in the city (and the world) with an average single unit price 25 million US dollars. Part of the reason for this tremendously wealthy real estate is the location near Central Park which allows for spectacular views of the greenery, the city, and seaside views.
What is happening in New York City is much larger in scale and extent, but the concept is similar, even in Ebeltoft. The view becomes an increasingly precious commodity as the town grows. The waterfront areas with the best views frame the placement and usage of land for the real estate industry, and prioritize certain land for certain purposes. As many homes as possible should have a beautiful view especially in a place like Ebeltoft, but how does this relate to the broader issues and needs for housing? How does this relate to privatization and profit making?
A unique feature about Ebeltoft is its natural bowl shaped, hillside topology that curves along the coastline and creates a tremendous outlook across the bay. However, near the mid-evil town center, space is scarce, and the view becomes a more valuable resource for local residents. Many can afford to have a seaside view with modest income levels in Ebeltoft, but this could be in jeopardy.
Will this relatively equitable access to the view be challenged by the real estate sector on the harbor front? According to former architect and Ebeltoft resident Anne Marie Poulsen the proposed real estate projects defy local vernacular with their multi-story flat rooftops and relativel height which are indicative of industrial scale real estate driven by profits, not harmony with the site, context, and citizen’s needs. By asking the question “Who owns the view” the question about real estate development is brought to bear – who it is for, who benefits, and who has access to the commons? This conversation resonates, whether in Ebeltoft or Manhattan.