The Crystal, Copenhagen
Encyclopedia
The Crystal is a free-standing, environmentally-friendly and award-winning extension of Nykredit
headquarters at the Kalvebod Brygge waterfront in Copenhagen
, Denmark
. Designed by schmidt hammer lassen
, it takes its name from its light, crystalline form which rests on only a single point and a single line, allowing for unhindered views as well as passage underneath the building.
in collaboration with schmidt hammer lassen. Its light-coloured slate paving continues into the ground floor of the building, integrating the exterior and interior spaces. The plaza is dominated by a waterfeature, Denmark's largest fountain, consisting of of a circular water basin and 2,000 valves arranged in long straight lines which spray water in varying heights of up to 2.5 metres. The water feature is illuminated at night. There are benches and a single row of trees along one side of the space.
Nykredit
Dating back to 1851, Nykredit is one of Denmark's leading financial services companies with activities ranging from mortgage, retail and investment banking to insurance and fixed income trading and asset management...
headquarters at the Kalvebod Brygge waterfront in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Designed by schmidt hammer lassen
Schmidt hammer lassen
Schmidt hammer lassen architects is an international architectural practice founded in 1986 in Aarhus, Denmark. It currently has four offices in Aarhus, Copenhagen, Oslo and London....
, it takes its name from its light, crystalline form which rests on only a single point and a single line, allowing for unhindered views as well as passage underneath the building.
Sustainability
The building has a low energy-consumption of only 70 kWh per sqm, or 25 per cent less than the requirements of the existing energy legislation in Denmark. This is obtained with the highly effective insulating triple-layered inner glass façade which has a U-value of only 0.7 Wh per sqm. The roof is covered with photovoltaic panels generating 80,000 kWh per year.Plaza
The plaza next to the building is designed by Stig L. AnderssonStig L. Andersson
Stig L. Anderson is a Danish landscape architect, founder and Creative Director of Copenhagen-based SLA which has developed into a interdisciplinary organisation working with landscape, urban spaces and urban planning....
in collaboration with schmidt hammer lassen. Its light-coloured slate paving continues into the ground floor of the building, integrating the exterior and interior spaces. The plaza is dominated by a waterfeature, Denmark's largest fountain, consisting of of a circular water basin and 2,000 valves arranged in long straight lines which spray water in varying heights of up to 2.5 metres. The water feature is illuminated at night. There are benches and a single row of trees along one side of the space.