Did you know that in the city of Copenhagen, there’s a power plant where you can ski, hike, and climb the tallest climbing wall in the world, all while it converts the city’s waste into energy? This is Copenhill, a project by big architects that has transformed one of the least desirable places in the city.
The place you’re rubbish goes into somewhere people actually want to visit. To achieve this, they designed a man-made 100-meter-tall mountain, one of the highest points in a completely flat city like Copenhagen, and they turned it into a dynamic community hub with rooftop activities. You’d never imagine being on top of an energy plant. But the greatness of this building doesn’t stop there.
While people are skiing or hiking, the building collects waste from the entire city and burns it, producing enough energy to supply about 90,000 households in Copenhagen with both heating and electricity. And the steam coming out of the chimneys is not toxic. It undergoes a cleaning process to ensure it’s just water vapour, the water vapour that on cold days can even become snow for the 100-meter-long ski pist.
This project showcases how, from a playful and user-centered design perspective, sustainable architecture not only doesn’t have to be boring, but it can also become a fundamental part of daily life in society.
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