A 200-foot-tall, 17-story industrial silo in Copenhagen’s Nordhavnen harbor is the largest and one of the most iconic landmarks of the area, but its function doesn’t match the needs of the district.
In 2013, By og Havn, a port development enterprise jointly owned by the city of Copenhagen and the Danish government, took the lead to transform Nordhavnen into a bustling, commercial area planned to bring tens of thousands of apartments and jobs.
Part of the transformation would involve the iconic silo’s conversion into a residential tower. Danish firm COBE Architects was brought in to execute the project, according to a report by Inhabitat.
To soften the industrial and highly utilitarian design of the original structure—which was used to store corn and grains for decades—COBE will envelope the original concrete structure with layers of different-sized white balconies.
The building’s interior will preserve the mostly exposed concrete of the original structure.
The silo as it exists today. Photo courtesy COBE Architects
Rendering of the planned conversion. Rendering courtesy COBE Architects
Because of the building’s original function and demand for different-sized spaces for storage, the new residential building will feature a variety of apartment configurations and sizes.
The waterfront development includes a United Nations campus called UN City that opened in 2013 at the eastern part of the Nordhavnen area.
According to Danish engineering website Ingeniøren, the Nordhavnen project uses 28,000 tons of steel, making it the largest construction job in Denmark and the largest consumer of steel in Northern Europe.
For more information and renderings, checkout the slideshow at cobe.dk.
Related Stories
| Apr 24, 2013
North Carolina bill would ban green rating systems that put state lumber industry at disadvantage
North Carolina lawmakers have introduced state legislation that would restrict the use of national green building rating programs, including LEED, on public projects.
| Apr 24, 2013
Los Angeles may add cool roofs to its building code
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants cool roofs added to the city’s building code. He is also asking the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to create incentives that make it financially attractive for homeowners to install cool roofs.
| Apr 23, 2013
Building material innovation: Concrete cloth simplifies difficult pours
Milliken recently debuted a flexible fabric that allows for concrete installations on slopes, in water, and in other hard to reach places—without the need for molds or mixing.
| Apr 23, 2013
Architects to MoMA: Don't destroy Williams/Tsien project
Richard Meier, Thom Mayne, Steven Holl, Hugh Hardy and Robert A.M. Stern are among the prominent architects who on Monday called for the Museum of Modern Art to reconsider its decision to demolish the former home of the American Folk Art Museum.
| Apr 22, 2013
Top 10 green building projects for 2013 [slideshow]
The AIA's Committee on the Environment selected its top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
| Apr 19, 2013
Is LED lighting keeping its promises?
Lighting experts debate the benefits, drawbacks, and issues related to specifying LED fixtures.
| Apr 19, 2013
Must see: Shell of gutted church on stilts, 40 feet off the ground
Construction crews are going to extremes to save the ornate brick façade of the Provo (Utah) Tabernacle temple, which was ravaged by a fire in December 2010.
| Apr 18, 2013
Survey seeks info from managers of high-tech facilities
The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL), and Laney College in Oakland California, a National Science Foundation-funded Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center, are collaborating to identify education and training needs and strategies for high-tech facility operators.
| Apr 18, 2013
SOM, CASE team up to launch crowd-sourced apps library
SOM and CASE have formally launched AEC-APPS, the first crowd-sourced, web-based library for applications used by architects, engineers and construction professionals. This is a one-of-a-kind initiative in the AEC Industry and is a non-profit online community that allows digital tool users and toolmakers to share ideas, tips and resources.
