The residential building, which the architects had to build, is located in Nørrebro, one of the most densely built-up areas of Copenhagen, where the lack of playgrounds and green squares is especially acute. Therefore, JDS Architects decided to use the roof of the house as an “alternate airfield” and, in addition to the penthouses, design a multifunctional public space here that will be accessible to all residents of the “rooftop” houses.
Interestingly, to implement their plan, the architects used not only the space between the penthouses, but also their walls and roofs. In particular, the roof of one of the penthouses has been turned into a green hill, at the top of which there is an observation deck, designed in the form of a captain's bridge. On one side of the “hill” there is a playground, for which the architects have chosen a traumatic-safe elastic covering of bright red color. A slightly smaller area is occupied by a platform for sunbathing, lined with natural wood, attached to the "hill" on the back side. Naturally, the architects also took care of the safety of outdoor activities on the roof: all sites are surrounded by high fences made of strong, but thin mesh, which perfectly copes with its function, but is almost invisible from the outside.
Thanks to the implementation of this project, the residential building, which is closely squeezed by similar ones, has acquired a new finish, the bright range and dynamic silhouette of which attract attention and highlight the previously unremarkable building. But, most importantly, the proposal of JDS Architects convincingly proved that the lack of places for active and meditative recreation in the metropolis can be more than compensated for by using the roofs of existing buildings.
A. M.
