The Meatpacking District consists of three separate areas, referred to as the White, Grey and Brown Kødby for the dominant colour of their buildings.

The brown part (Den brune Kødby) is the oldest area, closest to the Central Station, and dating from 1883. It has since c. 2000 been changed into a new creative cluster with galleries, art cafés, nightlife and small creative businesses like studios and architecture firms in the historical buildings. It is also home to DGI-byen, a sports, swimming and conference complex, and the exhibition hall Øksnehallen, originally a stabling place for 1,600 cattle before slaughtering.

The newer white area (Den hvide Kødby) is a 400 × 600 m enclave of white modernistic structures, built in 1934 to the design of city architect Poul Holsøe. The area is listed for conservation and is still serving its original purpose of housing businesses relating to the meat industry, such as the Inco cash and carry wholesale warehouse for the catering business and the Copenhagen Hospitality College. A municipal master plan aims at creating a mixed-use area, encouraging cultural, design, and gastronomy businesses to settle there, while retaining the meat industry.