Aiming to avoid area destruction that is common in similar cases, Amagerforbrændingen reflects on the possibilities to introduce public uses to necessary infrastructure the purpose of which is strictly industrial. The project addresses the issue of urban relationship with waste and creates a place that takes full advantage of the waste management process from a social standpoint: the common, inaccessible, dirty and repulsive waste-to-energy plant is now turned into a destination for the citizens of Copenhagen that provides for diverse public activities: the central element of the building is a ski slope for the topographically flat city, which is available all year round.
The new waste-to-energy plant is economically, environmentally, and socially profitable. Instead of considering Amagerforbrændningen as an isolated architectural object, we consider the assignment to design a façade as an opportunity for the local context. The architecture is modified and intensifies the relationship between the building and the city – by expanded the existing activities in the area: the roof of the plant is turned into a 31.000m2 recreational ski park.
Amagerforbrænding is a leader in turning waste into a resource, and the new plant establishes it as an innovator on an urban scale, redefining the relationship between the waste plant and the city. The new plant is both iconic and integrated. It is a destination in itself, and a reflection on the progressive vision of the company.