Denmark – COBE architects, a portmanteau of the cities Copenhagen and Berlin, is a firm that is currently in working on several projects within Denmark and beyond. Despite the firm’s young age, they’ve received some high-profile commissions within the Danish capital, including Norreport Station and Papiroen Island.
One of COBE’s most recently completed projects is The Silo in Nordhavn, a former industrial site in Copenhagen’s north end undergoing considerable redevelopment. The former grain silo has been transformed into a series of apartments and public spaces, now clad in a geometric aluminum “jacket” that conceals its former life. The cladding folds and bends to form balconies and provide light to the various housing units, through a perforated aluminum, screen. The ground floor and top floor remain open to the public.
The reimagining of The Silo is but one of the many projects underway in Nordhavn, where development is occurring at a rapid pace. COBE also won first prize in their urban development scheme for the area, with the first phase of construction underway where the Silo is located. Upon visiting the area, we also met with local residents who told us about other residential projects in the area that have taken advantage of existing building structures—silos included. These residences also take advantage of existing concrete structures and the substantial building forms that they offer as bases for new, comfortable modes of living, which the residents thoroughly enjoy. We noticed too that there’s an insistence upon architectural “rehabilitation” here, where even old structures of little or no architectural value are saved from demolition. It’s a Danish attempt to resuscitate a new kind of urban community life into the area, that was once home only to industry. Reconciling these once harsh conditions with habitable environments is one step in ensuring Copenhagen’s sustainable growth.
A new network of islets, canals, metro stations, and bicycle paths will be laid into the existing landmass, allowing for easier phasing of the area’s redevelopment. These paths are intended to be linked by a “green loop” both for circulation and as a green space; these are augmented by parks and other public spaces, all directly connected to the water. With the development set to take place over the next half century, it will be interesting to see how this area grows into fruition.
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