The Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has revealed its design for a greenery-covered tower for the Tivoli amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. Assuming it goes ahead as planned, the H.C. Andersen Hotel project will also include renovations of existing buildings in Tivoli and the creation of a new park nearby.
Named after legendary Danish fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen (of The Little Mermaid and The Emperor's New Clothes fame), the H.C. Andersen Hotel project will involve the refurbishing and re-purposing of Tivoli's existing castle and the renovation of a pavilion, both of which were built towards the end of the 19th century.
The eye-catching tower will be an extension of the castle. Hosting lots of greenery on its facade, it will rise to 18 floors, many of which are offset, a bit like an oversized stack of plates. It will also boast sustainable design to ensure it has as low an energy use as possible. However, there are no more details on this at this early stage.
"Tivoli is a unique oasis of lush gardens and whimsical architecture in the center of Copenhagen," says BIG. "A truly cosmopolitan neighborhood in the heart of the Danish capital, Tivoli's cultural and bio-diversity is unlike any other place in Copenhagen. With a renovation of the 1893 Tivoli Castle and the addition of a new building, we have attempted to capture and accentuate the character of the existing castle, creating a new typology inspired by Tivoli's archetypical architecture. A hybrid between the garden's pagodas, pavilions and towers, our proposal builds a bridge between the city's history and present – the nearby Rundetårn and Axel Towers – as well as the city's archive of unrealized dreams. Past, present and fantasy unified in the heart of Copenhagen."
In addition to BIG's work on the buildings, urban design firm Gehl plans to transform an adjacent busy shopping street into a 10,400 sq m (roughly 112,000 sq ft) urban park open to pedestrians and cyclists.
We've no word on the expected completion date for the H.C. Andersen Hotel project as it must first receive planning permission.
Source: BIG