Photo: Ulrik Jantzen

The Royal Theatre - new playhouse 

The Royal Theatre's new playhouse is an architectural masterpiece and will be a central attraction in the development of the Copenhagen waterfront into a recreational area on a par with cities like London and Amsterdam.
Architects Lundgaard and Tranberg have designed the challenging structure while COWI has developed a series of groundbreaking solutions which will help realize the artistic visions.

Innovative solutions
The physical location (partly in the harbour basin) generated some initial questions ranging from the risk analysis of ship collision to the carefully controlled ground water table lowering strictly limiting its effect on the surrounding older buildings of Copenhagen inner city.

Another extraordinary achievement is the roof floor of the playhouse where COWI's structural specialists have designed full storey height steel truss girders with total lengths reaching 85m, and with cantilevered spans as high as 26m or what amounts to a seven storey building.

The playhouse opened in early 2008 and includes a restaurant, a café and a large public area in the foyer and forecourt.
Photo: Ulrik Jantzen