As the future home of a national center for science, technology and culture, it seems fitting that Copenhagen’s Experimentarium Science Center is planned to occupy a former mineral water bottling plant.
Designed by Danish firm CEBRA, the winning proposal for the facility includes a large exhibition hall and rooftop exhibition space; a botanical roof garden; a flexible stage capable of accommodating an audience of 400; centers for learning, innovation and research; a conference center; cafeterias and modern staff facilities.
A bold, looping stairway in the building’s atrium is intended to capture the imagination of visitors and create a dynamic, active atmosphere inside.
The new space will encompass 320,000 square feet, and represents a flexible and contemporary framework for the Experimentarium’s diverse array of exhibits and educational activities. But perhaps the most compelling elements of the project are the façades, which are intended to create a new and distinctive visual identity for the institution.
Large expanses of glass will be inserted into “boxes” in order to provide views into and out of the building, emphasizing the architectural dialog with the community. The staggered boxes “push” the glass panels outwards where a higher degree of external visibility is desired, or where views and daylight form the stage for internal experiences.
The boxes will be covered in perforated aluminum sheets, which match the need for lighting of the functions located behind them. By using varying patterns and degrees of perforation, each box is given an individual expression. In order to underline the idea of the future resting on history, the boxes will sit on the old brick façade, which forms a stable and calm foundation for the new and dynamic structure.
The Experimentarium is expected to be completed in 2015. For more information, visit www.cebra.info.