The new BIG headquarters at the Port of Copenhagen, a "Piranesian" space

In Copenhagen, at the end of Sundmolen in the Nordhavn district, stands the new headquarters of the design firm BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group. This ^"Piranesian" architecture, containing a series of visual perspectives reminiscent of Giovanni Piranesi's works, is located on a pier overlooking the sea, in the city's industrial port. This new volume integrates harmoniously with the surrounding warehouses and maritime infrastructure, accommodating 300 studio collaborators.

BIG's approach to designing the building and its context celebrates nature, where technical, aesthetic, and environmental elements intertwine, offering a new model of corporate spaces where each feature interacts with the landscape and community.

With an area of 4,488 m² and a height of 27 meters, the building was completed in the spring of 2024 and represents one of the first examples of the studio's interdisciplinary framework, BIG LEAPP (Bjarke Ingels Group of Landscape, Engineering, Architecture, Planning, and Products), uniting landscape, engineering, architecture, planning, and product design.

The new BIG headquarters in the Port of Copenhagen, an open architecture

The seven-story building has a dynamic facade, featuring an alternation of glass and concrete surfaces that blend perfectly with the maritime context.

Outdoor terraces, populated with plants and vegetation species selected for their resistance to wind, line the facade and are connected by a 140-meter external staircase that winds from the base to the rooftop terrace, creating visual and spatial continuity between the interior and exterior.

The rooftop terrace, paved with wood sourced from a local sawmill, offers studio employees an open space with panoramic views of the city and sea.

Inside, a large central staircase in burnished steel spans the entire building, connecting all seven floors and offering diagonal perspectives that highlight the complexity of the space. The elevator shaft and beams are positioned along the north side, freeing up the workspace from structural elements.

This design creates an open, bright environment, surrounding areas dedicated to model workshops and meeting rooms, offering teams flexible space and generous exposure to natural light.

A Uni-Green concrete structure supported by a single stone column

The new headquarters employs Uni-Green concrete, developed in collaboration with Unicon and tested directly on-site. This innovative material reduces CO2 emissions by 25% compared to conventional concretes by substituting part of the clinker with calcined clay and lime filler, an advanced solution combining durability and sustainability.

The structure is supported by a single stone column made up of six layers of rock, varying from compact granite at the base to porous marble at the top. This column stands in the center of the open space, rotating on each floor to align with the supporting beam, while the rest of the structure consists of self-supporting concrete walls.

Nature and sustainability

At the base of the building, in an area previously used as a parking lot, BIG Landscape created a 1,500 m² public park inspired by Danish beaches and forests.

This urban space includes native trees, such as pines and oaks, offering shelter from the port winds. Hidden among the trees is a sculpture by American artist Benjamin Langholz, called "Stone 40", inviting visitors to explore the park interactively.

Designed to achieve DGNB Gold certification, the building integrates solar and geothermal energy systems, covering 60% of its energy needs with renewable sources. Together with passive design strategies, such as natural ventilation, the geothermal system provides 84% of heating and 100% of cooling needs.

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