Named after its Dortheavej address in the northwestern part of Copenhagen, the 5-story building winds through the area characterized by car repair shops, storage and industrial buildings from the 1930s?50s. BIG was commissioned to design Dortheavej in 2013 by Danish non-profit affordable housing association Lejerbo, whose mission is drafted by Danish urban space designer Jan Gehl.
Photography: Rasmus Hjortshøj
BIG was asked to create much needed affordable housing and public space in the area while keeping the pedestrian passageways open and the adjacent green yard untouched. Earlier this spring, BIG and Lejerbo were honored by the Danish Association of Architects with the Lille Arne Award for prioritizing the spatial qualities of the residences and the building strategy on a strict affordable housing budget.
?Our ambition was to create affordable apartments by the world?s leading architects. Together with BIG, we have succeeded in creating sustainable, safe and functional homes that see eye to eye with the people who live in them.? Jan Hyttel, President, Lejerbo Copenhagen.
Photography: Rasmus Hjortshøj
?Affordable housing is an architectural challenge due to the necessary budget restrictions. We have attempted to mobilize modular construction with modest materials to create generous living spaces at the urban as well as the residential scale. The prefabricated elements are stacked in a way that allows every second module an extra meter of room height, making the kitc...