During the summer, the inclined roof surface of the winter bath functions as an amphitheater facing the pools as well as the park, increasing the connection between the bath and Islands Brygge. Throughout the winter the active zone is mainly under the lifted deck, where the winter bath facilities are placed facing southwest. During the dark months, the winter bath brings life to the area and can be seen as a lantern from both Islands Brygge and Kalvebod Brygge.
In the direction of the bridge, the building consists of a procession of parallel concrete frames that change scale, from generous to intimate, then generous again to open on EuropaCity. Viewed from the front, the building is opaque, enigmatic, but the graceful curves come to envelop the visitors in this poetic procession. When visitors cross the first frames, they discover a building of great transparency, an inviting and open space whose vibrant activity draws them inward.
The . mile project area is located within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -year floodplain and spans from Montgomery Street to East th Street. The ESCR project is designed to protect and improve the resiliency of the large and diverse residential community of more than , New Yorkers, including approximately , NYCHA residents. ESCR will also offer protection to critical infrastructure including a major pump station and an electrical substation that powers much of Lower Manhattan as well as numerous local schools and libraries.
Eight outdoor roof terraces located on the corner perimeters of each ‘bar’ offer sweeping -degree views of the mountains to the north, the campus to the west, and the Roberts Campus to the east. Designed with a mix of hardscape and softscape areas featuring native plantings, these “green roof” spaces are multi functional, designed to be used for outdoor classrooms, study areas, or places to meet classmates and professors.
The first stages of project development at BIG always involve a careful study of the site and the programmatic requirements. In the case of the Escher Tower, the site was an orthogonal intersection of an east-west highway and a north-south subway line, populated by a department store and a medical business. The program was identical hotel rooms with the only interesting activities to be placed in a single floor at the ground.