Figur 4 (Hvidovre gør gode tider bedre)

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Figure 4: Hvidovre Water Tower 

In the early 1930s, while the rest of the country eagerly connected to municipal water supplies, Hvidovre’s citizens chose a different path. Rather than waiting for municipal initiatives, they upheld their proud tradition of self-organisation and constructed their own water tower using recycled materials from local construction sites and defunct industries. The tower was built through volunteer labour, with local craftsmen working alongside travelling construction workers from across Europe, who brought new building techniques and ideas about community. 

Inspired by the Round Tower but shaped by the influence of the many travellers, the water tower became a symbol of communal strength and the desire to create beauty in everyday life. The recycled wood was carefully selected and arranged in patterns that formed a colourful mosaic up the sides of the tower. Every weekend, residents gathered to contribute to the construction, share meals, and exchange ideas about water supply and self-management. Children sorted bricks while their parents, alongside the travelling workers, cast the foundation using concrete mixed from locally sourced gravel and experimented with innovative building methods. 

The tower became more than just a water supply; it evolved into a communal hub where residents and travellers met for concerts, exhibitions, and international shared meals in the built-in common rooms. Remarkably, the original facility still operates today, maintained by local volunteers—a living testament to Hvidovre’s enduring spirit of combining practicality with celebration and the understanding that even a water tower can bring joy and aesthetic pleasure to daily life.