In the Danish capital’s Nordhavn district, PLH Arkitekter’s design for a unique office complex is coming to life as glass sections and façade tiles are being installed. Connected by a striking skywalk soaring five stories above ground, the two houses of this new of this state-of-the-art hub combine to give its users everything that a modern workplace can offer in terms of flexibility, quality, comfort and sustainability.
Located on the water’s edge in one of Copenhagen’s old harbor areas, the building will be able to welcome 560 employees when complete in 2023. With its flexible décor and open design, it will function as a future-proof and vibrant office hub with common areas throughout, where people can meet, share knowledge and exchange ideas.
At the base, large glass fronts form a transparent and inviting entrance that opens up to a reception and lounge area, shops and boutiques. Upwards throughout the building, spacious office layouts afford each employee expansive views of the water and quayside. At the top the level, roof terraces, a meeting center and the canteen are connected by the structure’s architectural focal point – the skywalk.
An entryway to the harbor
Instantly iconic and a landmark for the area, the skywalk links together the western and eastern offices, allowing employees to access all common areas quick and easy. This striking feat of architecture allows the building to stand as a compound, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, offering amenities that would otherwise not be possible with two separate houses.
Below the skywalk, a public plaza creates a corridor from the street to the harbor and serves as a recreational space for employees and visitors in front of the building’s main entrance. This break in the structure’s volume along with its dynamic angles, varying window sizes and the specially designed relief tiles of the façade.
Sustainability is front and center
Sustainability and green solutions are integrated in all aspects of this project’s life cycle, from the initial design phase to construction and usage. In addition to reducing energy consumption and minimizing carbon emissions, its sustainable profile creates tangible benefits for people both in the building and in its urban surroundings.
Among other features, the extra-large windows and a generous use of double-height spaces allow natural sunlight to flow through office zones and recreational areas, lowering electricity costs and increasing employee well-being as well as creating an open and transparent exterior.
Furthermore, green sedum roofs retain rainwater and supply natural cooling during the summer months. And with excellent amenities for cycling commuters, changing rooms and much more besides, this office hub facilitates a healthy lifestyle for all its users.
Throughout the design and construction phase, sustainable choices have consistently been made.
Thus, a new and more sustainable type of concrete has been used for the building’s construction. This new type emits less CO2, as it is produced at lower temperatures than traditional concrete.
The facade’s tiles have been chosen based on thorough analyzes and comparisons. Seen in relation to other materials, their production is far more carbon efficient.
And as an added bonus, the tiles can be reused later for other purposes. Furthermore, the glass/aluminum facades and windows are produced using renewable electricity. The project is set to receive the sustainability certification DGNB Gold and will live up to all of PensionDanmark’s sustainability guidelines. Source by PLH Arkitekter.
- Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
- Architect: PLH Arkitekter
- Engineer: Rambøll
- Contractor: NCC
- Client: PensionDanmark
- Size: 13,250 m2
- Expected completed: 2023
- Images: Courtesy of PLH Arkitekter
