CopenHill

CopenHill
Orf3us · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	CopenHill
Location	Amager, Copenhagen, Denmark
Architect	Bjarke Ingels Group
Client	Amager Resource Center
Completed	2017
Height	85 m
Building type	Waste-to-energy plant with recreational facility

CopenHill CopenHill is a waste-to-energy facility and public recreation complex located on Amager in Copenhagen, Denmark. The project combines industrial infrastructure with urban amenities and was developed by Amager Resource Center in collaboration with Bjarke Ingels Group, reflecting trends seen in projects like High Line, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Millennium Park, Sydney Opera House, and Pompidou Centre. It has drawn attention from organizations such as United Nations Environment Programme, European Commission, World Green Building Council, International Energy Agency, and Greenpeace.

History

The site originated from regional waste management needs addressed by companies such as Amager Resource Center and influenced by policies from authorities like Copenhagen Municipality, Danish Energy Agency, Ministry of Environment (Denmark), City of Copenhagen, and Region Hovedstaden. Planning involved stakeholders including Bjarke Ingels Group, BIG, Snohetta (as comparative practice), Ramboll, COWI, and contractors like H. Lundbeck A/S and drew comparisons to industrial transformations at Battery Park City, Canary Wharf, Docklands (London), and HafenCity. Funding and approval processes referenced frameworks used by European Investment Bank, Nordic Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, C40 Cities, and ICLEI while responding to legal contexts influenced by directives from European Union and national statutes similar to those enforced by Danish Parliament.

Construction milestones mirrored timelines like Beetham Tower and One World Trade Center projects; ceremonial events involved officials from Copenhagen Municipality and representatives from Danish Crown Prince Frederik's office and cultural entities such as Danish Architecture Center and Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. The facility opened following commissioning and testing phases typical of plants handled by operators such as Ørsted (company), Vattenfall, and Fortum, and it entered public discourse alongside case studies from Seoul Forest, Balboa Park, Central Park, and Vondelpark.

Design and Architecture

Design led by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) integrates a roofscape plan akin to schemes by Zaha Hadid Architects, Norman Foster, Herzog & de Meuron, OMA, SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill), and KPF. The profile complements urban masterplans seen in Amager Bakke proposals and responds to zoning frameworks used in developments around Ørestad, Nordhavn, Aarhus Ø, and international precedents like HafenCity, King's Cross Central, and Hudson Yards. Landscape architects with references to Landscape Architecture practices such as those at Peter Latz, Gustafson Porter, West 8, and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates shaped rooftop gradients for activities comparable to facilities at Aspen Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, and Hungerburgbahn.

Exterior cladding and chimney design drew parallels with industrial aesthetics in projects by Renzo Piano and Jean Nouvel, while interior circulation and visitor flows referenced museum planning from Louvre Abu Dhabi, Tate Modern, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Museum of Modern Art. Public art commissions echo programs from Art in Public Places, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and collaborations with cultural institutions like DR (broadcaster), Royal Danish Library, and National Gallery of Denmark.

Technical Specifications

The plant incorporates combustion technology and flue gas cleaning systems similar to units used by Amagerforbrænding successors and operators like Copenhagen Energy, VEKS, E.ON, Siemens Energy, Andritz, and Babcock & Wilcox. Thermal output and electric generation comply with standards from International Organization for Standardization, European Committee for Standardization, and test procedures from International Electrotechnical Commission. Energy recovery integrates district heating networks akin to systems run by HOFOR, Fortum, and VEKS while linking to infrastructure models like NordLink and heat pump projects comparable to Avedøre Power Station.

Pollution control employs selective catalytic reduction, electrostatic precipitators, and scrubbers in lines familiar to engineers at Ramboll and COWI, aligning emissions performance with regulations by European Environment Agency, Danish Environmental Protection Agency, and emission limits used in Industrial Emissions Directive. The facility handles feedstock logistics modeled on transfer stations in Greater London Authority and waste streams studied by Eurostat, Danish Waste Association, and research from Technical University of Denmark and Aarhus University.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Environmental strategy references climate initiatives from C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, EU Green Deal, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and metrics from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The project emphasizes circular economy aims promoted by Ellen MacArthur Foundation and integrates waste hierarchy principles discussed in reports from OECD and World Bank. Carbon accounting aligns with protocols from Greenhouse Gas Protocol and certification practices from LEED, BREEAM, and WELL Building Standard with benchmarking against low-emission energy projects such as Amager Resource Center peers.

Local biodiversity and urban greening strategies reflect case studies from Singapore's urban forestry programs, Milan's green strategies, and initiatives by European Green Capital awardees including Copenhagen itself and Vitoria-Gasteiz. Air quality monitoring and health assessments reference studies by European Respiratory Society, World Health Organization, and research from Statens Serum Institut. Lifecycle assessment work derives from methodologies taught at Technical University of Denmark and Chalmers University of Technology.

Recreation and Public Use

Public amenities follow precedents from mixed-use facilities like The High Line, Millennium Park, Olympic Park (London), and urban recreation projects at Tempelhofer Feld and Princes Park. The rooftop ski slope, hiking trails, and climbing wall are programmed with guidance similar to recreational planning by DGI and outdoor consultants used in projects at Ski Dubai, Indoor Ski (SnowWorld), and alpine facilities in Alpes. Visitor management references ticketing and events protocols used by VisitDenmark, Copenhagen Visitor Service, and festival organizers like Roskilde Festival.

Education and outreach initiatives coordinate with institutions such as Danish Architecture Center, Royal Danish Academy, University of Copenhagen, Technical University of Denmark, and NGOs like Friluftsrådet and Nature Conservation Society. Partnerships for programming mirror collaborations seen between Tate Modern and Southbank Centre as well as corporate social responsibility projects from companies like Novo Nordisk, Maersk, and Carlsberg Group.

Category:Buildings and structures in Copenhagen