IDA - The Danish Society of Engineers

The former industrial harbour front of Kalvebod Quay was redeveloped in the late nineties with hotels, offices and a shopping mall, and has since become predominantly known for its huge banal building blocks, noisy late 90's po-mo architecture and inaccessible waterfront. In this proposal, the architectural response to the surroundings is something much more subtle, and yet at the same time, infinitely more poetic - a building that becomes a visual icon by virtue of its simplicity, thus creating a great contrast to the remaining architectural front at Kalvebod Quay.

Conceived as a 'floating' box, only lightly touching the ground in two corners of the site with two mirrored shear walls, the building appears to defy gravity, and creates an open and visual connection between the harbour front and the street. The building is connected to the water with a cascading wooden staircase and terrace, creating a new attractive public space that can be used for various public events, dining or outdoor activities for guests in connection with conferences, or just as a comfortable place to stay for passers-by. The underside of the floating box is covered with a mirror ceiling that draws the experience of the water all the way to the other side and gives a unique experience in the square.

The building contains a restaurant and a multi-functional conference and event space, where engineering, technology and design are fully integrated. Views, daylight conditions, acoustics, room layout, floor heights etc. can all be adjusted to create the perfect frame for the current event. The warm wooden interior of the main indoor space stands in contrast to the light exterior facade, which gives the building an ethereal quality, appearing almost as a hovering, mysterious and glowing entity hiding behind a thin veil - like a star within a nebula.