Outdoors

Ski slope power station design headed for Denmark

Ski slope power station design headed for Denmark
A collaboration led by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has announced that it's been selected to design a new waste-to-power station that doubles as a ski slope leisure center on the outskirts of Copenhagen
A collaboration led by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has announced that it's been selected to design a new waste-to-power station that doubles as a ski slope leisure center on the outskirts of Copenhagen
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The design takes an Alpine ski run and puts it on the modified roof of a waste-to-energy power plant
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The design takes an Alpine ski run and puts it on the modified roof of a waste-to-energy power plant
A model showing what the finished structure might look like
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A model showing what the finished structure might look like
Citizens and visitors can enjoy a ski trip down the slopes of the power station all year round
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Citizens and visitors can enjoy a ski trip down the slopes of the power station all year round
A collaboration led by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has announced that it's been selected to design a new waste-to-power station that doubles as a ski slope leisure center on the outskirts of Copenhagen
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A collaboration led by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has announced that it's been selected to design a new waste-to-power station that doubles as a ski slope leisure center on the outskirts of Copenhagen
No ordinary power plant, the proposed design would see the roof area converted into an artificial Alpine ski slope
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No ordinary power plant, the proposed design would see the roof area converted into an artificial Alpine ski slope
There will be three ski runs created, to suit different ability levels and the building will be part of a bigger recreational development
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There will be three ski runs created, to suit different ability levels and the building will be part of a bigger recreational development
A mock up showing where the ski slope power plant would be sited
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A mock up showing where the ski slope power plant would be sited
Green planting boxes dotted about the outer facade and visitors being shown around the inside of the power plant
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Green planting boxes dotted about the outer facade and visitors being shown around the inside of the power plant
The ski slope power plant would become part of a bigger recreational development, offering citizens and visitors the chance to go sailing, karting or rock climbing
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The ski slope power plant would become part of a bigger recreational development, offering citizens and visitors the chance to go sailing, karting or rock climbing
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A collaboration led by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has announced that it's been selected to design a new waste-to-power station on the outskirts of Copenhagen. In an attempt to unify an industrial area and residential housing, the project will turn the vast roofing expanse of the power station into an Alpine ski resort. Skiers will begin their downward journey from the top of the smokestack, which will also pump out smoke rings every time a ton of carbon dioxide is produced to remind citizens of the impact of power consumption.

The radical design is being prepared for a waste-to-energy and recycling company called Amagerforbrænding, which already operates an incineration plant that converts the waste from five districts into electricity and heating. The team is made up of BIG, realities:united, AKT, Topotek 1, Man Made Land and the Glessner Group, and aims to redefine the simple, box-shaped power plant where the purpose of the outer walls is simply to hide the operations within.

Green planting boxes dotted about the outer facade and visitors being shown around the inside of the power plant
Green planting boxes dotted about the outer facade and visitors being shown around the inside of the power plant

The designers want to add both form and functionality to the structure. All of the machinery will still be contained within the main building, but this will be extended and lowered on one side to include an area for administration and for a visitor center. One end of the structure will be raised to meet the top of the smokestack of the power plant, and an elevator will be installed that runs up to the top. The inside wall of the elevator will be made from glass, so that visitors can take a look at the inner workings of the plant on their way up.

The rooftop area will be reshaped to form a 1,500 square meter (4,921 sq ft) artificial ski slope with three different runs to accommodate varying ability. The outer facade of the 95,000 square meter (311,679 sq ft) building will feature green planting boxes to give a distant green mountain appearance, which will of course be topped by a white "snow" covering. The power plant ski run will form part of a bigger recreational development where visitors will be able to enjoy activities such as karting, sailing and rock climbing.

Citizens and visitors can enjoy a ski trip down the slopes of the power station all year round
Citizens and visitors can enjoy a ski trip down the slopes of the power station all year round

The designers also propose modifying the power plant's smokestack to make the production of CO2 a little more open and easily understood. Every time a ton of carbon dioxide is produced, a smoke ring will be released from the smokestack. This is said to be achieved by a piston pushing smoke into an upper chamber before releasing the ring at the prescribed moment.

BIG hasn't given any hint of a likely build schedule, but I have to say that having once lived just down the road from a municipal waste incinerator, I don't think that I would relish visiting one for recreation.

I realize that waste-to-energy technology has come a long way since 1975 when that monstrosity was opened, but it will be very interesting to see if the Danish public go for the somewhat bizarre notion of creating a leisure center around a waste-burning power plant situated in the midst of an industrial landscape. It's an ambitious gamble and we'll be keeping an eye on developments.

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Sweden has quite a few waste burning power plants and they have been a success for years.

I\'m interested to know if they will be using some of the new techknowlogy of using heat and inert gas to decompose rubber and plastics into hydrocarbons first?

There could be a good profit margin in using some of the waste heat to do that to pre sorted rubbish.

With Oil becoming scare and China making rare earth minerals hard to get, I bet recycling our own rubbish will become a priority soon.

It\'s daft that we get most of our stuff from China and then pay to send the recycled rubbish back to China so they can reuse it.

We don\'t need new Nuclear plants but more forward thinking power plants like these.
Change the new nuclear plants to refuse reclaimation power plants.