In 2017, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) unveiled its designs for a project in central Copenhagen. The project features an urban IKEA store, a budget-friendly hotel, and residential apartments connected by green spaces. As a significant part of the development, BIG designed two high-rise residential towers known as “KaKtus Towers,” which are linked by a raised public park connecting them. Both towers, with the tallest at 80 meters high, are scheduled to be completed in 2024. A recently released new set of images showcases BIG’s development nearing completion.
The residential towers of BIG, known as Kaktus Towers, feature 500 "youth rooms" with hexagonal cores. Suspended on a green hilltop with sweeping views of Vesterbro, Central Copenhagen, and the waterfront, the towers were designed aiming to defy the conventions of traditional architecture. Each level's twist is designed to offer panoramic viewpoints for every unit but also demonstrates a creative economic construction method that maximizes the scheme's net area.
As of 2024, the 80-meter tall Kaktus Towers will be finished and rising over the green space below them. In fact, the two towers are connected by a floating public park that slopes towards the ground, adding an aesthetic element to the city scape. The skewed floor slabs of the towers provide a unique architectural form. Additionally, the 495 apartments are designed around a central core.
The public spaces are well-proportioned and connected by terraces and a green roof. These areas include multilevel common areas, outdoor kitchen and grill areas, laundry rooms, cafés, fitness centers, and party rooms. At the podium level, a business square offers a lively connection for walkers coming out of the adjacent Dybbølsbro rail station.
Photographer Rasmus Hjortshøj recently captured pictures of the almost finished Kaktus Towers, displaying the angular skyscrapers as a demonstration of BIG's architecture and advanced building techniques. Additionally, the public park and shared amenities are slated to be finished later this spring.
Recently, BIG’s One High Line development in New York released a new set of images, also nearing completion. The coupled twisting towers are situated on the Hudson River, organized around a central public courtyard. In December, BIG unveiled “Gelephu,” a master plan that draws from Bhutanese culture, National Happiness principles, and spiritual heritage. The masterplan adheres to the sustainable standards of Bhutan, the world’s first official carbon-negative country. Finally, the studio has recently revealed a new stage for the tour of the Danish band WhoMadeWho, featuring an inflatable sphere.
