1% of Greenland Once Lived in One Apartment Building

Imagine an entire country so sparsely populated that a single apartment building could house one out of every hundred people. That's exactly what happened in Greenland with Blok P, a massive residential complex in the capital city of Nuuk that contained around 320 apartments and sheltered approximately 1% of the island's total population.

Built in 1966 as part of Denmark's ambitious modernization program, Blok P stretched over 200 meters long—about two football fields end-to-end—despite being only five stories tall. The building cut across Nuuk in an east-west direction like a concrete wall, dominating the cityscape and becoming an instant landmark.

A Grand Experiment in Arctic Urban Planning

The Danish parliament's Folketing launched this construction project to modernize Greenland's infrastructure by relocating people from coastal settlements deemed "unprofitable, unhealthy and unmodern." The goal was urbanization and efficiency. What they got was a cautionary tale about imposing European housing standards on indigenous Arctic communities.

The design problems became apparent immediately. Doorways were too narrow for residents wearing thick cold-weather clothing—essential gear in Greenland's harsh climate. People literally couldn't enter their own apartments while bundled up against the elements. European-style wardrobes were too small to store fishing equipment, ignoring the fact that many residents still relied on traditional subsistence activities.

Why It Had to Go

The building's floor plan was fundamentally incompatible with Inuit lifestyle and needs. Beyond the practical failures, Blok P became a symbol of colonial-era policies that prioritized Danish planning over local culture and wisdom. By 2010, the Greenlandic Home Rule government and Nuuk City Council decided enough was enough.

Demolition began in 2011, with the final section coming down on October 19, 2012. The dismantling happened in five stages, with land clearing and handover completed by 2014. Residents were relocated primarily to Qinngorput, another district of Nuuk with housing better suited to Arctic living.

Today, the site where 1% of Greenland once lived has been transformed into the Nuuk Playground community area—an open green space that serves the community far better than a misguided concrete monument ever could. The story of Blok P stands as a reminder that good housing isn't just about efficiency and density; it's about understanding and respecting how people actually live.