This is my third installment of contextual design projects here in Copenhagen…this time I’m looking at two projects by the Danish firm Lundgaard + Tranberg. These particular projects were suggested by one of my advisors, and in all honesty, I’ve found that they have challenged my idea of what ‘contextual’ means. The firm’s mission statement is “[to develop] original and clear architectural concepts while cultivating a highly sophisticated tectonic and material sensibility…[to cultivate] sympathy and understanding for modern society’s social and cultural dynamic.” I’ve found that their projects do exactly this – they are carefully thought out and executed, and are extremely original (see the Tietgen Dormitory and the new Royal Theatre, two of my favorites). But what has impressed me so much about the other projects that I’ve visited is somewhat lacking in this one: a clear acknowledgment of the surrounding existing built fabric. Don’t get me wrong, the project is fantastic, and it’s not as if it ignores its surroundings completely. Kilen is part of a larger landscape plan and responds more to that landscape than it does to the built context, with the result that it appears as a stand-out and stand-alone building, a rare occurrence in Copenhagen. It’s possible that I may be sounding off a bit too harshly here, which is not the intent, because I really like the project, and it is extremely responsible from a quality-of-design point of view (it also utilizes many sustainable building systems). Which perhaps makes it successful in a contextual sense…but I wouldn’t put it first on my list if someone asked me to point out particularly ‘contextual’ projects in Copenhagen. It’s also completely possible that there is more to learn about this buildings than I was able to deduce by simple observation and cursory research. I feel that perhaps I’ve been a bit to narrow in my definition of ‘contextual’…which is why I think it is important that I talk to someone about this project.
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Kilen, or “The Wedge” (New construction, 2005)
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As I mentioned above, this project was part of a larger urban master plan located on the site of an old rail yard. The greater site features include bike paths and park space that turn an area that was previously a barrier into a corridor. They also connect surrounding neighborhoods with the nearby Frederiksberg (shopping) Center and the area Metro stop. It’s a really nice urban design project, and the bike path is fantastic. “The Wedge,” so named because of its distinctive prismatic shape, responds to the sculpted landscape. It functions as the faculty building for the Copenhagen Business School. It also makes great use of natural daylighting and ventilation – unfortunately, I wasn’t thinking and visited on a Saturday when it was closed, but you can see the exterior panels that handle daylight control in the photos. Speaking of which…
Here’s Kilen with its great terraced bicycle parking ‘lot’ in front.
Approaching Kilen from the direction of Frederiksberg Center and the Metro stop. The bike lane is to the left, and the landscaped area takes up most of the rest of the photo. The most significant piece of neighboring architecture is the round brick building in the background on the right, which I believe was part of an old porcelain manufacturing plant.
View of Kilen (far, far in the distance in the center) from the Metro stop area. The buildings to the right are also part of the Copenhagen Business School.
Two views of Kilen from the bike path.
The building’s relationship with its neighbor (which is also, I think, a campus or other institutional building). That’s the bike lot again in the foreground…it’s really nicely landscaped with gravel and plantings.
View of the east facade.
Details of the berm and one entrance.
Kilen from the northwest.
Kilen with ceramic factory stack in the background/Kilen and neighboring tower
Detail of how the building meets the ground/Corner detail of panels
Paneling detail – there are two different kinds, solid and slatted, which are movable.
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