JDS Architects

Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses

Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses

Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses

Jds Architects

ARCHITECTS
Jds Architects

STATUS
Built

BUDGET
$1M - 5M

YEAR
2011

LOCATION
4, Birkegade, København N, København, Denmark

TYPE
Residential › Apartment Multi Unit Housing Private House

Optimization and utilization of the city roofElmegade district is one of the most densely populated areas of inner Nørrebro, Copenhagen.

Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses
Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses

As for the triangular block of Birkegade/Egegade/Elmegade, this density can also be measured by its inner dark, narrow and cramped courtyard.

It is through those courtyard conditions that the concept of the project originates: The driving concept is to create the ‘missing garden’ at the top of the existing housing block in association with 3 new penthouses, so that all residents gain access to a genuine outdoor garden.

Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses
Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses

In order to qualify ‘the missing garden’, we looked at the current conditions of Copenhagen gardens.

They are characteristically associated with functionality. With that sense, we have taken the rooftop garden as a designed space of functions with an association to materiality.

Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses
Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses

This is reflected in our project’s orange playground with shock-absorbing surface and a playful suspension bridge, a green hill with varying accommodation backed by real grass and durant vegetation, a viewing platform, an outdoor kitchen and barbecue, and a more quiet wooden deck.

The aim is to optimize and fully exploit the situations that the site has to offer, and thereby design a potential for the future exploitation of the roof to the delight of all the co-op’s residents.

Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses
Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses

It is a concept which is not limited to establish the 3 new apartments, but a concept which both creates a useful roof garden as well as a beautiful landscape for the co-op’s neighbours and city residents in general.


Birkegade Rooftop Penthouses

JDS Architects
T +45 3378 1010
JDS Architects
Slotsgade 2, 4. TV, 2200 København, Denmark