One of Copenhagen’s most popular parks will be filled with sunken pools and water-purifying plants to ease the risk and impact of flooding and to create a public space with a difference.

Architecture studio SLA have won the ‘Cloudburst and Culture’ competition to design the DKK140m (US$21m, €18.8m, £15.6m) project for Hans Tavsens Park in the Nørrebro neighbourhood.

Once complete, the park’s basins will cover over 85,000sq m (915,000sq ft) and will be able to hold thousands of cubic metres of water following sudden cloudbursts. Some collected rainwater will be used locally, and some will be diverted into the nearby Peblinge Lake

“Hydrological, biological and social circuits will work together in a strong symbiosis that does not only climate proof inner Nørrebro, but also has a positive effect of the entire city of Copenhagen,” said SLA in a statement.

“The urban space project will be a flagship example of how cities can deal with cloudbursts in dense inner city neighborhoods while adding unique social, cultural and natural values to increase the life quality of its residents.”

SLA are collaborating on the project with architects Rambøll, Arki_lab and Todd Saunders.

The city of Copenhagen was recently given a special mention at the 2016 European Prize for Urban Public Space awards. The judges praised the city’s planners for their “firm and persistent commitment to public space that gives priority to cyclists and pedestrians.”