Skovbrynet BaseCamp is an innovative housing concept covered by a 34.000 m2 park. This ambitious project consists of 640 new apartments for a combination of students, researchers, and seniors, and has thus become a shared space for an unusually diverse and dynamic group of people. Kragh&Berglund has created the scenic outdoor areas that integrate with the building and transform it to a recreational breathing space in the city.
BaseCamp is part of a charming green area in Lyngby surrounded by Sorgenfri Cemetery to the north and the east, and Lyngby Lake to the west. The neighborhood is lush with hedges and bushes surrounding the entire site. Kragh&Berglund wished to preserve the lushness of the place and use the new structure as a gravitational point for visitors and locals in the area. Our ambition was to create a space where people of different ages and backgrounds could come together and share their lives and stories.
To do this, Kragh&Berglund planned the comprehensive and technically demanding outdoor areas in a way that made them attractive to both residents and visitors. We created a green and park-like landscape with scattered trees and fluctuating planting that covers the entire building. A public network of green paths full of vantage points allows visitors to hike up to the sixth floor and experience the view over Lyngby Lake from the top of the curving building. Private wooden terraces with level-free elevator access have been constructed on the roof for the residents.
The planting on the roof is simple – stonecrops, herbs, and mountain pine are tough and have good conditions for growth in the poor soil of the roof. This yields a rich and flowering vegetation that attracts insects like butterflies and bees. Plants suited to more nutritious soil were chosen for the terrain and will play an important role in improving the area’s biodiversity. The plants require little long-term upkeep. A special low-weight soil was used to keep down the weight of the roof and a mesh was stretched across the slopes to make sure that the roots of the plants can attach themselves properly and not slide down. Water is prevented from rushing down the roof and redirected into wells.
The paved areas were made of asphalt and concrete to keep the solutions simple. The paths have been drawn away from the building to create a private zone around the residential areas in a natural way. The sculptural shape of the building creates interesting spaces along the outer façades as well as an attractive inner courtyard full of patios and common spaces. The round squares create places for the inhabitants of the area to gather and relax.
The soft and organic shape of the trails helps frame the planting and create an interesting pathway through the area and across the roof. Most of the trails were planned without curbs to support the natural and park-like character of the area, and areas for driving and walking are clearly separated. The building can be a fun addition to a walk in the nearby forest or around Lyngby Lake.
Lyngby BaseCamp is an example of how to unite many different users in new and innovative ways while also integrating building and landscape at a high architectural level. The project creates a green breathing space that emphasizes health and recreation for the academic research environment around which BaseCamp is built.
Facts
Type of contract: Turnkey contract
Role: Landscape Architect, Sub-consultant
Location: Sorgenfri, Denmark
Start/end year: 2017-2020 (main project submitted in 2018)
Landscape area: 34.000 m2
Client: ST Skovbrynet student Aps, BC Skovbrynet Residential Aps
Construction cost: 17 m. DKK
Remuneration: 1,8 m. DKK
Partners: JFP, Lars Gitz arkitekter, ÅF Consult
Copyrights: Lars Gitz Basecamp
Prizes: Project of the Year 2018 Estate Medias award for best project in 2018
World Architecture Award International design award for best architecture in the project phase
A’Design Award Gold award for best architecture, construction and structural design
ICONIC AWARD 2020 International award for innovative architecture and best concept
WAN AWARD 2020 International gold award for best future housing construction
8 x MUSE Awards 5 platinum awards, 2 gold awards, a silver award and the best landscape architecture of the year
Class of 2020 International Award for Best Sustainability Project 2020
Architecture offices involved in the design: Lars Gitz Arkitekter
Project location
Skovbrynet 2, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
Design year: 2018
Year Built: 2020
