This profoundly original, multi-functional concept is quite unlike anything Copenhagen has seen before.
Such is the response of the architecture critic of the Danish newspaper Politiken to a new building which is to occupy one of the last undeveloped sites by the harbour in the heart of Copenhagen, the Brewery Site.
The design is the brainchild of one of the world’s most respected architects, the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and his design partnership, OMA, whose impressive portfolio of designs includes the Casa da Musica concert hall in Porto, the Central Library in Seattle and the new TV Centre in Beijing (CCTV).
The project was commissioned by the Danish building and development foundation Realdania, whose own new headquarters will be housed in the building. But the 25,000 square metre building will also combine residential units, a café/restaurant, a basement car park, playground facilities and public spaces both inside and out and will also house DAC, the Danish Architecture Centre.
A distinctive feature will be the Ring 2 ring road running through it, as the building will stretch right down to the waterfront and must therefore straddle the road.
Arup chooses COWI as local partnerKoolhaas/OMA has appointed its partner of many years, the UK engineering company Arup, as engineers on the project. Arup in turn has appointed COWI to be its local partner.
In addition to a range of specialist services and general assistance, COWI will be responsible for the detailed design which includes everything from civil engineering and building to services and rerouting of traffic. This is the type of commission for which COWI is ideally suited, given its extensive experience, for example as the consulting engineers behind Copenhagen’s new Playhouse.
Kim Bundgaard, senior project manager with COWI, reflects on the project:
"There's no doubt that we'll be faced with many demanding challenges, as Rem Koolhaas is of course renowned for designs which push the envelope of what is technically feasible."
One of the challenges will be to satisfy Danish energy performance standards. "One of the key concepts which inspire the building is transparency, such that someone sitting in an office can enjoy an exhibition in DAC or catch the eye of one of the residents in his or her kitchen."
"Given the proportionately large building envelope – its many glazed surfaces – it will be difficult both to insulate the building and to screen it from the sun. But the project’s budget enables us to install 'the best windows in the world' and therefore not make any sacrifices in terms of energy consumption."
Bundgaard feels that the greatest challenge is the mixed use of the functions combined in the build.
"By comparison with a traditional building - which typically would have three layers with shops on ground floors, offices in the middle and residential units on the top floors – here in the Brewery Site Project all the functions are mixed throughout all floors. This makes considerable demands in terms of fire-proofing and acoustics. The very fact that it has a road running through it calls for a non-traditional solution"
The project is scheduled for completion in 2013.By Kathrine Schmeichel, kats@cowi.dk Posted: 28.04.2008
The building complex on the Brewery Site in Copenhagen will incorporate office space for Realdania, an exhibition venue and public facilities for DAC, the Danish Architecture Centre, a café/restaurant, playgrounds, public spaces and much else. 17,000 m2 of the build will be above ground and 8,000 m2 below, where the car park will be located.
COWI’s tasksThe engineering company, Arup, will take the lead from the early design phases up to the proposal phases and will then pass the baton to COWI for most of the detailed design.
COWI will provide assistance throughout in terms of its local knowledge and its expertise in such areas as traffic, environmental issues and fire-proofing.
COWI was also appointed directly by Realea to carry out preliminary geotechnical, hydro-geological and environmental surveys of the site and to conduct an EIA assessment.