Archinect - News

Cobe opens The Opera Park island in Copenhagen's inner harbor

2023-11-21T17:52:00-05:00

Cobe has completed work on a new outdoor concert space for Copenhagen they say will lend a rich cultural and green balance to the outcrop of new development in the city’s inner harbor area that has been reproduced in abundance over the past two decades.

The artificial island space is dubbed The Opera Park and was constructed on a 231,000-square-foot plot adjacent to the Royal Danish Opera House. It serves as its visual counterpoint and is accessed via a landscaped bridge connector covered by a glass walkway.

The Opera Park. Image: Francisco Tirado

Cobe’s Founder, Dan Stubbergaard, says: “The Opera Park is a place where nature comes first amidst Copenhagen’s bustling urban development. With its six gardens, winding paths, and carefully crafted viewpoints, the project seizes elements of Copenhagen’s historical, romantic gardens to tackle today’s challenges such as decline in biodiversity and water management. As you stroll through the park, you get the feeling of having left the city ...

The Army Corps of Engineers reveals initial coastal resiliency plan for New York City

2022-10-03T09:00:00-04:00

The federal government wants to build a massive system of storm surge gates and seawalls to protect the New York harbor region from flooding and has put forth a much-delayed plan that would remake coastal areas from upper Manhattan down to Jamaica Bay. The Army Corps estimates construction on the $52 billion project would begin in 2030 and be complete by 2044. The project must be first approved by federal, state and local officials and funded before any of the work can start.

The New York District, North Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released a 569-page report outlining a coastal storm risk management feasibility study. According to The City's Samantha Maldonado, a public comment period will be held through January 6th, 2023, as a means to help "inform the design." Maldonado also reported that the government expects plans to be finalized by 2025.

The Army Corps also released an interactive map that details individual aspects of the initial proposal, which Columbia University climate scientist Paul Gallay said will "set the tone for coastal protection and community viability for decades to come."

"We have a lot more room to advocate for environmental justice communities and truly sustainable solutions than many of the other plans would have allowed for," Victoria Sanders, a research analyst at the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, told the publication. "There is still a long road and a lot of unknowns between now a...

Sydney is the latest city to pursue a floating pool scheme as it looks to further revitalize its harbor

2021-10-25T19:17:00-04:00

Moore's office commissioned Australia-based Andrew Burges Architects (ABA) to reimagine what Sydney Harbor could look like if there were sections accessible for public swimming. Her proposal mentions that climate change and an increasing population will both change Sydney's makeup in the decades to come, and with green space at a premium, cleaning up the harbor and making it swimmable could be a good way to give residents a way to cool off.

Cities like Copenhagen, which has successfully converted much of its canalway into programmable public park-type spaces, are serving as a model for Sydney and other world metropolises with similar water park-like developments proposed for the near future.

Sydney Harbour has seen shark episodes on and off throughout the past century, leading the cities to install safety netting and a host of harbor-adjacent public pools that are already very popular. The Harbour itself faces a serious flooding threat by mid-century in addition to a cleanup effort that will abate pollution caused by runoff from some of the reclaimed land around the Harbour.

"This vision rests on improving water quality," Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore told CNN. "Some parts of our harbor are highly polluted and cleaning up these waterways so they can be used for recreation and to improve biodiversity will require cooperation across all levels of government."

Related on Archinect: The long-awaited Plus Pool officiall...

A new permanent home for Rotterdam's Port Authority isn't meant to last forever

2021-06-17T17:42:00-04:00

Designs for a visitor center have been unveiled this week as the city of Rotterdam looks to transform public space in Europe’s busiest port.

The new Harbor Experience Center (HEC) is a collaboration between Dutch firms MVRDV and Kossmanndejong and features a series of five exhibition spaces stacked and rotated to offer visitors unique views of the city and port through panoramic windows and an open-air rooftop terrace complete with 266 solar panels.

Rooftop view with solar panels. Images courtesy MVRDV and Kossmanndejong.

“The center allows you to discover the port and understand what it means for society, the economy, and the environment,” Richard van der Eijk, the Port of Rotterdam’s Director of Communications & External Affairs, said in a statement.

The design came together as a replacement for FutureLand, the popular tourist destination that opened in 2009 and presently hosts over 100,000 visitors a year.

An exterior view of the building with bicycle parking. Images courtesy M...

Olafur Eliasson completes his first building, Fjordenhus, in Denmark

2018-06-01T19:45:00-04:00

Fjordenhus (Fjord House) is the first building designed entirely by Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann with Studio Olafur Eliasson. Located in Vejle, Denmark, Fjord House is set to open on June 9th. The structure rises out of Vejle Fjord and can be accessed through Havneøen (The Harbour Island).

Fjordenhus by Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann with Studio Olafur Eliasson, located in Vejle, Denmark. Image: Anders Sune Berg.

The building was commissioned by KIRK KAPITAL as the company’s new headquarters and includes site-specific artworks by Eliasson with tailored furniture and lighting.

Fjordenhus by Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann with Studio Olafur Eliasson, located in Vejle, Denmark. Image: Anders Sune Berg.

Fjordenhus by Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann with Studio Olafur Eliasson, located in Vejle, Denmark. Image: Anders Sune Berg...

Perforated "Sailing Tower" spotlights Denmark's commercial Aarhus harbor

2016-03-03T18:29:00-05:00

With bold geometric references to cargo sailing masts and portholes, the primary function of Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter's Sailing Tower is to reference the considerable maritime history of the Danish harbor, which was founded in the 8th century and remains an active commercial port today. The tower, which was inaugurated in August 2015, incorporates two official viewing platforms, the upper one of which offers a 360 degree view of Aarhus. Sited on the docks, the tower is categorized as an urban sculpture, not only for its direct relationship with the harbor, but its visual orientation toward the city.

The staircase offers perforated panoramic views as visitors climb up (although a lift has been installed for those unable to climb stairs), while the steel-plate construction also recalls the feeling of being at sea. At night, the mast-like geometry of the Tower's exterior is illuminated by LEDs.

“Beyond the Clouds” - Finalist entry for Smart Harbor competition

2013-10-09T12:56:00-04:00

"Beyond the Clouds" is a Smart Harbor competition entry by international award-winning experimental team Zuhal Kol, Carlos Zarco Sanz, and Jose Luis Hidalgo. Their proposal was listed as a finalist [...] earlier this year. Focused on exploring the potential value of the world's harbors, the competition challenged participants to reimagine existing harbor sites into a modern recreational and tourist area -- with the freedom to interpret the meaning of recreation to their own accord.

Kalvebod Waves aspires to become Copenhagen’s new waterfront attraction

2013-09-05T14:08:00-04:00

The harbor-front project "Kalvebod Waves" officially opened on Aug. 30 at the Kalvebod Pier [...] in Copenhagen. The design by Julien de Smedt Architects and KLAR with support from Sloth Møller and Niras Engineers won first prize in a competition from December 2008. Not far from the popular Islands Brygge Park in the city, Kalvebod Waves is the latest phase of a long-term plan that aims to revive a formerly desolate section of the pier into a welcoming hub for urban and water activities.

Piraeus Museum for Underwater Antiquities - The Competition Winners

2013-02-22T19:29:00-05:00

Just a few days ago, results were announced in the international architectural competition Piraeus Cultural Coast - Museum of Underwater Antiquities. Now the organizers also released images of the five winning projects and nine honorable mentions. The brief calls for the conversion of an existing industrial facility in the port of Piraeus, Greece into a museum of underwater antiquities with redesigned open public spaces for outdoor activities.

Keelung Harbor Service Building Entry by PAR and Sériès et Sériès

2012-09-28T20:43:00-04:00

The results of the Taiwanese Keelung Harbor Service Building competition were announced a few days ago with Neil M. Denari Architects taking the First Prize [...]. Today we're very excited to also publish one of the five finalist entries, designed by LA-based Platform for Architecture + Research in collaboration with joint tenderer Sériès et Sériès. The design team's engineering partner is Buro Happold.

Neil M. Denari Architects Wins New Keelung Harbor Service Building

2012-09-17T20:11:00-04:00

The entry by LA-based Neil M. Denari Architects has won the First Prize in the international competition for the New Harbor Service Building in Keelung, Taiwan.

UPDATE: more detailed information about this project can be seen here:
ShowCase: New Keelung Harbor Service Building

Shortlist Revealed for New Keelung Harbor Service Building

2012-07-19T16:59:00-04:00

In the international competition for the New Harbor Service Building in the major Taiwanese port city of Keelung, a shortlist of five teams has just been released. Among the nominees are well-known firms like Asymptote Architecture, Neil M. Denari Architects, and Mecanoo architecten. The international jury also included American architects Aaron Betsky and Michael Speaks. The final competition winner will be announced in September.

Henning Larsen Architects Wins City Development Competition in the Faroe Islands

2012-06-06T13:09:00-04:00

Copenhagen's Henning Larsen Architects has won the competition for developing a 150,000 m2 (1.6M sq ft) area in the second-largest city in the Faroe Islands, Klaksvík. The area will comprise a cultural house, a museum, residences, offices and shops. [...] On the basis of the winning proposal, the Municipality of Klaksvík will prepare a new district plan for the development of the city. The plan is expected to be ready during 2012.

Badboot Lido Coming to Antwerp this Summer

2012-05-01T18:15:00-04:00

One of the world’s biggest floating openair swimming pools will open on the Eilandje in Antwerp, Belgium at the Kattendijkdok in mid-August. The pool, with a total length of 120 meters (394 feet), can accommodate 600 people and consists of a swim basin, two event venues, several floors and a restaurant with a lounge terrace.

'Badboot' was designed by architect Pieter Peerlings and Silvia Mertens of Sculp(IT) Architecten, known for the narrowest house in Antwerp (remember this incredibly popular Archinect Showcase Feature?).