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 building comprised of timber in its upper structures, bridges and slabs features a long and slim footprint covering an area of ca. , m. SBC makes full use of the allowed maximum building height of . m across seven floors, and is based on an ideal office bar typology measuring m in width. Instead of one single zig-zag volume, as envisioned in the masterplan, BIG’s design consists of two stacked and rotated zig-zagging bars.
Before designing the new Ellsinore Psychiatric Hospital, BIG dove into the programmatic requirements and needs of the client, as well as the daily users of the clinic, its staff, patients and relatives. The input from these different groups pointed to several conflicting requirements and ambiguities. To meet these needs and the requirements of modern psychiatric treatment, BIG set out to redefine the traditional hospital typology.
The simple manipulation of the archetypical space-defining garden wall creates a presence in the Park that changes as you move around it and through it. The north-south elevation of the Pavilion is a perfect rectangle. The east-west elevation is an undulating sculptural silhouette. Towards the east-west, the Pavilion is completely opaque and material. Towards the north-south, it is entirely transparent and practically immaterial. As a result, presence becomes absence, orthogonal becomes curvilinear, structure becomes gesture and box becomes blob.
Superkilen is divided into three color-coded areas, each with a distinct atmospheric and functional condition: the large and expansive red square which serves as an extension of the adjacent sports hall offering a range of recreational and cultural activities; the black square as the heart of the Superkilen where locals can meet by the Moroccan fountain or a game of chess; and a linear green stretch as a natural meeting place for large-scale sports activities with vantage points over the surroundings.