According to TV2, 172 newly built apartments in the Fælledby project in Copenhagen's Amager AMA district are slated for demolition after engineering inspections revealed serious structural flaws that have classified the two buildings housing them as "completely damaged." A significant portion of the apartments had already been sold or rented.
The defects prevent the use of the two buildings.
By & Havn told TV2 Kosmopol that inspections by engineering firm Sweco revealed substantial errors and deficiencies, to the point where it is doubtful that the two buildings can be made compliant with legal requirements.
The problems are concentrated especially in the load-bearing parts of the buildings, as the wooden units were designed with smaller dimensions than required, which led to them not providing sufficient structural capacity. Problems also appeared in the welding elements and beams located under the apartment floors.
Fælledby chairman and By & Havn property manager Henrik Steenstrup said the situation was regrettable, but the demolition was a necessary decision, stressing that using the buildings and allowing residents to move into them would not be safe.
98 apartments were sold and 32 were rented
The two buildings contain 172 residences, including 98 apartments that have already been sold and 32 others that have been rented.
Steenstrup said the developer has ultimate responsibility to buyers and tenants, and therefore cannot allow anyone to move into the buildings in their current state.
The purchase contracts for the 98 apartments will be cancelled, with buyers receiving compensation that reflects the anticipated increase in property values. Those affected will also be able to register on a waiting list for potential future home purchases in Fælledby.
The project faces a new crisis
The two buildings were built by Scandi Byg, which declared bankruptcy at the beginning of 2025. After the bankruptcy, the buildings underwent an engineering inspection, before serious structural errors were discovered in March of the same year.
The Fælledby project comprises a total of 20 buildings and is expected to be completed in 2032, while Scandi Byg's work was limited to the two buildings that will be demolished.
Steenstrup said the project management regrets putting future residents in these difficult circumstances, stressing that the priority now is to help all those affected find appropriate solutions.
A long history of controversy
The Fælledby project has been accompanied by controversy since its approval in 1994, and has faced popular opposition, complaints and lawsuits that have previously led to the suspension of construction work.
Copenhagen authorities were also forced to move the project site from Strandengen to Lærkesletten due to popular opposition, while the Amager Fælleds Venner group continued its campaign against the project for years.
After overcoming complaints and lawsuits and continuing the project, the contractor's bankruptcy and the discovery of construction errors formed the latest crisis facing Fælledby.
TV2 is trying to get a comment from Scandi Byg's management regarding the defects that led to the decision to demolish the two buildings.
