”Uniting the harbour with both modern and historic architecture.”
Bryghusgrunden (BLOX)
Category
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
Client
Realdania Byg
Collaboration
Realdania, OMA
Contract period
2008-2018
Contact
Hans Kragh
Landscape area
6,000 m2
Construction cost
45,000,000 DKK
Image Credits
DronePixels, KraghBerglund
Around the cultural institution BLOX by the Copenhagen waterfront, which is home to the Danish Architectural Center, Kragh Berglund have created a square for the international architectural studio OMA. At this intersection of city and harbor, Kragh Berglund have created a living and diverse space surrounded by the contrast of new constructions, the raw waterfront, and old historical buildings. The new square thus provides an authentic experience of old and new and creates a meeting place between different spaces and people.
The square is based on the ideals associated with an active urban lifestyle and social spaces in the city and creates continuity between the building’s inner and outer functions. The result is a cohesive and recreational space in the city that welcomes the area’s diverse user groups. The square emphasizes free play, movement, and community by creating a fun space for children as well as adults, tourists as well as locals.
The international architectural firm OMA asked Kragh Berglund to design the square around Realdania’s cultural institution BLOX by the Copenhagen waterfront. Aside from housing, shops, and a fitness center, BLOX is also home to the Danish Architectural Center’s new center for architecture, design, and urban life.
BLOX’s unique location on the edge of the Copenhagen harbor provides an opportunity to create a meeting place between very different people and spaces. At this intersection of city and harbor, Kragh Berglund have created a living and diverse space surrounded by the contrasts of the new constructions, the raw waterfront, and the historical buildings from the 17th century. The new square thus provides its users with an authentic experience of old and new, while also connecting the different spaces around it, as it does with Vester Voldgade and the new Lille Langebro.
The space is based on the ideals associated with an active urban lifestyle and social spaces in the city, and it was planned as an extension of BLOX’s underlying concept and identity out into the city. The result is a continuous and recreational space in the city that welcomes its many different users. The square emphasizes playfulness, movement, and community, and creates a sense of continuity between the building’s inner and outer functions.
The square realizes the local potential by creating a fun space for all kinds of users. The wide promenade stretching southwards along the harbor makes it possible to walk along the water as well as to rest or play. The “Movement Space” in the northern part offers plenty of opportunity for activity. The scenic element “The Mountain” challenges children to use their mobility on its rope nets and slides, and its connection to the building creates an interesting relationship between the indoor and the outdoor spaces. Underneath “The Mountain,” you have “The Cave” with swings, a sandbox, and plenty of room for play.
Want to learn more?
Contact Hans Kragh
hkr@kragh-berglund.dk
+45 81 72 74 53
