The final designs for one of 2018’s most awaited projects have been revealed, as SLA has released plans for the 170,000-square-foot (16,000-square-meter) park and ski slope that will cap the BIG-designed Amager Bakke Waste-to-Energy Plant in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Initially master planned by BIG, the unique design seeks to reclaim a typically unused element of a building for the public through the introduction of nature-filled program. During summer months, the SLA-designed rooftop activity park will provide visitors with hiking trails, playgrounds, fitness structures, trail running, climbing walls, and of course, incredible views. In the winter, the park will be joined by a over 1,640 feet (500 meters) of ski slopes designed by BIG.
Rising 289 feet (88 meters) into the air, the landscape design required special attention be paid to selecting series of trees and plants that could handle difficult living conditions and a steeply sloping terrain. In addition to security and safety needs, heat from the facility’s large energy boilers also needed to be negotiated, as in certain points earth temperatures may reach as high as 140 degrees fahrenheit (60 degrees celsius).
“The project to create an attractive and green activity rooftop park on top of Amager Bakke has been very challenging,” commented SLA partner Rasmus Astrup. “Not only because of the extreme natural – and unnatural – conditions of the site and the rooftop itself, which put severe stress on plants, trees and landscape. But also because we’ve had to ensure that the rooftop’s many activities are realized in an accessible, intuitive and inviting manner. The goal is to ensure that Amager Bakke will become an eventful recreational public space with a strong aesthetic and sensuous city nature that gives value for all Copenhageners - all year round.”
Plants for the park were selected through the creation of 1:1 experimental mockups that tested different species resiliency and ability to create an optimal microclimate and wind shelter for visitors. These tests will also help to influence the biome of natural areas throughout the city.
“The rooftop’s nature is designed to attract and shelter a wide selection of birds, bees, butterflies and insects, which in itself will mean a dramatic increase in the biodiversity of the area. And utilizing natural pollination and seed dispersal will mean that we can spread the rooftop nature to also benefit the adjacent industry area, parking lots and infrastructure. In this way, Amager Bakke will function as a generous ‘green bomb’ that will radically green-up the entire area”, says Rasmus Astrup.
Construction on the Amager Bakke Rooftop Park has now broken ground, and is expected to complete by September 2018.
BIG's Waste-to-Energy Plant Breaks Ground, Breaks Schemas
There are many things that set will be the cleanest waste-to-energy plant in the world. It will be the tallest and biggest building in BIG's latest project, Amager Bakke, apart. The plant, which broke ground yesterday, Copenhagen. It will house Denmark 's first ski-slope (on the roof of the plant, no less).
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When BIG's proposal for Amager Bakke, a waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen, was unveiled in 2011, there was a lot for skeptics to pick apart. Is it really possible to run a publicly accessible ski slope on the roof of an industrial building? Would they really be able to make it blow giant smoke (or rather, steam) rings?
