Mountain Dwellings in Ørestad, Denmark by BIG with JDS Architects

Article source: JDS Architects

How do you combine the splendors of the suburban backyard with the social intensity of urban density?
The Mountain Dwellings are located in Ørestad, a new urban development in Copenhagen. When commissioned to design a traditional housing block and a separate parking house, we proposed the combination of the two programs. The program consist of 1/3 living and 2/3 parking. What if the parking area became the base upon which to place a terraced housing development – like a concrete hillside covered by a thin layer of housing, cascading from the eleventh floor to the street edge.

Bird's View (Image Courtesy JDS)

• Architects: BIG Architects and JDS Architects
• Project: Mountain Dwellings
• Location: Ørestad, Copenhagen, Denmark
• Size: 33 000 M2, 80 Units, 480 Parking Spaces

Mountain Dwellings (Image Courtesy JDS)

• Type: Commission
• Budget:260 000 000 DKK (34 873 000 EUR)
• Client: Høpfner A/S, Danish Oli Company
• Collaborators:PLOT, BIG, Moe & Brødsgaard
• Status:Completed 2008

Mountain Dwellings (Image Courtesy JDS)

The parking area wants to be connected to the street, and the residences want sunlight, fresh air and views, so by combining the two programs, all apartments can have a sun filled roof garden, amazing views and parking on the same level as the apartment. The Mountain appears as a suburban neighborhood of garden homes floating over a 10-story building, offering the best of two worlds: close proximity to the hectic life of the city and the tranquil characteristics of a suburban life.

Mountain Dwellings (Image Courtesy JDS)

Unlike a traditional residential building, the Mountain helps to increase the property value of the project by reorganizing the program. Each residence is provided with equal amenities and the gardens are grouped in a way that is large yet intimate, with plants that change character according to the season. The building also has an integrated watering system, which helps to maintain the roof gardens.

Mountain Dwellings (Image Courtesy JDS)

The residents of the 80 apartments are the first in Ørestad with the possibility of parking directly outside each unit. The parking area contains 480 parking spots, which service both the Mountain and VM Houses. There is also a sloping elevator that moves along the inner walls to accommodate the terracing of the structure, and in some places the ceiling height is 16 meters, giving the impression of a cathedral-like space.

Night View (Image Courtesy JDS)

The north and west facades are covered by perforated aluminum plates, which let in air and light to the parking area, and the perforations in the facade form a huge reproduction of Mount Everest. During the day, the perforations appear black on the bright aluminum, and the picture resembles a rough rasterized photo. During the night, the facade becomes lit from the inside and appears as a photographic negative, rendered in the different colors of the parking levels.

Interior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Interior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Interior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Interior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Exterior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Exterior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Exterior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Exterior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Exterior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Bird's View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Exterior View (Image Courtesy JDS)

Mountain Dwellings (Image Courtesy JDS)

Mountain Dwellings (Image Courtesy JDS)

Tags: Denmark, Ørestad

Categories: Housing Development, Parking Structure, Residential

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