Green Roof Tour and Case Study: Copenhagen

Friday 21st September 0900-1530 (timings tbc)

Delegates will be able to view selected green roofs within the City of Copenhagen, and listen to the Architects perspective on their benefits and design – including the Windswept House.

Copenhagen is the first city in Scandinavia to have a mandatory green roof policy. The new policy makes vegetation and soil a mandatory obligation in planning new developments.The policy covers all roofs that have less than a 30 degree ptich in the new local plans:

“Copenhagen has chosen to take leadership in creating green, sustainable and climate adapted city development. We are ambitious when it comes to green roofs by including them as a requirement in our planning work.” Mayor of Technical and Environmental Administration, Ayfer Baykal

Danish State Archives, Copenhagen.

A public roof garden and cycle track adds life to the top of Denmark’s National Archive building. Created in 2009, the roof terrace covers an area of around 7,200 square metres and acts as part of a green botanical corridor connecting two areas in the centre of Copenhagen. The ‘Green Street’ corridor will connect with other adjacent buildings to provide a green urban thoroughfare. The garden provides a ‘silent’, landscaped area in the heart of the city and close to the busy port area.

The project’s main design element has been inspired by the reliefs on the brick facades of the defining walls of the archive building. These point to the building’s function, written in runic letters. The garden space has a primary path which runs the length of the project, along which several activity and planted spaces are defined. Elevated beds and public rest and relaxation areas line the path, designed to present a range of different microclimates.

The Danish National Archive is managed by the Agency for Palaces & Cultural Properties, and the development is a public/private partnership. It has been designed by architect PLH, with landscape design by Schornherr.

Danish National Archive green roof – Photo © TFI group

Danish National Archive green roof – Photo © Dorthe Romo

Danish National Archive green roof – Photo © TFI group

Big 8 Windswept House

The Big 8 House, Copenhagen – Photo © Dragor Luftfoto

The 8 House combines work, rest and play for sustainable urban living. The 61,000 square metre mixed-use building presents different types of residential housing alongside retail and office space.

The development has been designed to feature a continuous public path stretching from street level to penthouse level, which enables people to walk and cycle from ground floor to the top. Progression along the path takes a winding route through the development, alongside townhouses with gardens. Two sloping green roofs, of a combined 1,700 square metres, are positioned to reduce urban heat island effect and at the same time create the project’s strong visual identity.

Architect BIG describes the 8 House as ‘a three-dimensional neighbourhood rather than an architectural object’. The design creates huge differences in height across different parts of the development, intended to stimulate a sense of community; one where human interaction is not restricted to the ground floor. The architect aspires to recreating the intimacy and feel of an Italian hill town – within the outer edge of 21st century Copenhagen.

Parks, canals, housing, office space and retail all combine within what BIG describes as ‘a three-dimensional urban neighbourhood’, lauded as the Denmark’s largest private development when commissioned by St Frederikslund and Per Hopfner in 2006.

The Big 8 House, Copenhagen – Photo © Jens Lindhe

The Big 8 House, Copenhagen – Photo © Ty Stange

The Big 8 House, Copenhagen – Photo © Jens Lindhe

Tivoli Hotel

With a name synonymous with Copenhagen and set in a landmark location, the presence of a green roof atop the Tivoli Hotel makes a clear statement about the city’s green commitment. Opening in 2010 the hotel architect, Foster & Partners designed a slim tower ‘as a contemporary interpretation of the city spires’, with a series of cylinders with green roof gardens. The garden element and circular theme was a reference to the existing Tivoli development.

Sustainability formed a core part of the brief. The design includes provision for rainwater collection and elements to ensure impact of solar radiation can be minimised in warm months and maximized in the cold.

Norman Foster, founder and chairman of Foster & Partners said of the commission:”The Tivoli Gardens Hotel project requires delicacy of scale and sensitivity to Copenhagen’s rich design heritage, combined with a bold vision for a new design that has integrity and presence. This is a challenge that we, as architects, welcome.”

These tours will be charged in addition to the conference fees.

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About State of Green

Denmark has decided to lead the transition to a green growth economy and will be independent of fossil fuels by 2050 as the first country in the world. As the official green brand for Denmark, State of Green gathers all leading players in the fields of energy, climate, water and environment and fosters relations with international stakeholders interested in learning from the Danish experience. State of Green is your gateway to learn more about the ambitious Danish plan and the innovative solutions which are essential to make it happen.

State of Green Consortium

The State of Green Consortium is the organisation behind the official green brand for Denmark. The consortium is a public-private partnership founded by the Danish Government, the Confederation of Danish Industry, the Danish Energy Association, the Danish Agriculture & Food Council and the Danish Wind Industry Association. H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark is patron of the State of Green Consortium. State of Green's commercial partners are DONG Energy and Danfoss.
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About Veg Tech

For 25 years Veg Tech has been a leading the way in the Nordic countries within vegetation techniques for greening buildings, urban infrastructure and open and local storm water management.

The company aims to solve environmental problems and improve local urban climate by utilizing inherent properties of mainly native herbs. Veg Tech is offering robust solutions for greening roofs and facades aiming for immediate establishment, minimal maintenance and maximum resistance to changing temperatures and precipitation. Installation is quick, quite simple and easy and safe to adapt in modern as well as older buildings.

Another hallmark is our prefabricated vegetation mats even for the prevention of erosion and establishment of permeable urban grounds and urban biodiversity and biotops.
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