CopenHill in Copenhagen has completely transformed the way industrial architecture is perceived. Designed by BIG – the Bjarke Ingels Group – the building serves as a modern waste-to-energy plant, whilst also offering residents a ski slope, a climbing wall and extensive recreational areas. The project was completed in 2019 and has since been recognised as one of the most innovative projects in contemporary architecture.
A power station with a ski slope on the roof
Bjarke Ingels’ team decided to install a year-round ski slope on the roof of the waste-to-energy plant. The project was launched in 2011 as the largest environmental initiative in Denmark’s history. CopenHill, also known as Amager Bakke and ARC – Amager Resource Centre, supplies electricity to around 550,000 residents and district heating to 140,000 households. The project won three prestigious Architizer A Awards in 2020, including two awards for photographs by Aldo Amoretti Photography.
CopenHill in Copenhagen
The building’s form is dictated by the layout of the boilers, turbines, filters and other equipment associated with the facility’s technology. The sloping roof has been utilised to create a slope approximately 500 metres long, covered with a synthetic Neveplast surface, allowing skiers to use it all year round. The double-layered façade consists of aluminium modules resembling bricks and glazing that allows light into the interior. The design was refined using computer analyses and research conducted with HSLU, optimising the technical parameters of the façade.
Recreation above an industrial facility
The roof of CopenHill features ski runs, a walking trail, viewing terraces, a freestyle park, a ski lift, an equipment hire shop and a café. The façade, meanwhile, features an 85-metre-high climbing wall, recognised as the tallest structure of its kind in the world. The plant processes around 440,000 tonnes of waste annually, producing enough energy to power and heat around 150,000 homes. Its façades also serve an additional purpose – they have been designed to support vegetation and provide habitats for birds and insects.
CopenHill: a new perspective on architecture
CopenHill opened in October 2019 as part of a programme aimed at making Copenhagen climate-neutral. Bjarke Ingels emphasises that architecture can improve quality of life, and that environmentally friendly measures do not have to mean making sacrifices. The development has become a symbol of his concept of ‘hedonistic sustainability’ and an example of how infrastructure can simultaneously supply energy and create an attractive public space for residents.
design: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group
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