Tom Oliver Payne

Another year, another trip to Copenhagen by Tom Oliver Payne

Last week I managed to fit in another quick trip over to Copenhagen. There are a million reasons why I love this city so much, but mainly because it's not an aggressive, traffic heavy, overdeveloped city... People are friendly, bike riders are respected and encouraged, the architecture - old and new - is elegant, nightlife is fun, and the Baltic is clean (swimming in the harbour ... amongst the ferries is fine).

There seems to be a simplicity, pragmatism and calmness that I haven't experienced in any other city. It's no wonder it's architects and urban designers are in demand in around the world.

This year my friend Mark and I rode our bikes up north and crossed over into Sweden for a couple of days. Awesome little trip and as always - can't wait to get back.

A few holiday snaps below. :-) 

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Launch of a Copenhagen street with Mikael Colville-Andersen by Tom Oliver Payne

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I met with urban design legend Mikael Colville-Andersen in 2015 at the launch of a new street in Copenhagen. Here is what he had to say about Istedgade in the neighbourhood of Vesterbro.

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Photographing for Sydney's Neighbourhood Paper by Tom Oliver Payne

Before leaving Sydney I did a few photography shoots for Sydneyโ€™s new 'Neighbourhood Paper'. I was called out to take portraits of super interesting people, including a restaurant owner in Darlinghurst, the editor in chief of South East Asiaโ€™s Mekong Review, who is based in the Sydney suburbs of Leichhardt, and a beautiful young lady named Joanna Rix - an aspiring actor with Down's syndrome.

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Sydney, it's time to face your addiction by Tom Oliver Payne

The New South Wales Government is desperate. It ignores ongoing advice from friends, family and experts to seek alternatives. It fights all obstacles in its path for more. It cares only for the short-lived gratification, euphoria and high, to the detriment of healthy decades ahead. I guess when life feels is so good right now, why would it care?

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The best of Oslo's new architecture by Tom Oliver Payne

When I stepped out at Oslo Central Station, I found myself surrounded by interesting new buildings of tonnes of shapes and sizes. With half the waterfront still under construction, it quickly became clear to me that Oslo is experiencing an architectural explosion. 

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Mikael Colville-Andersen: the modern day Jane Jacobs by Tom Oliver Payne

Jane Jacobs reminded us of the city's most important element and inspired a generation of urbanists. Through a single photograph, Colville-Andersen has sparked a new movement that is helping to solve the greatest urban challenge of our time.

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