Kajkanten

Unlike the pier area Kalvebod Brygge, Havnestaden sits on the eastern side of the harbor where sunshine floods the area from noon to evening. This coveted space, which used to be home to factories and industrial buildings, is now the frame of Havnestaden.

Kajkanten is situated among both existing and newly constructed homes characterized by different types of architectural expression. However, overall cohesion exists in the notable focus on functionality in their composition. This focus clearly draws from the area’s industrial history.

The visual connection between Kajkanten and Havneholmen on the other side of the water is rooted in the architecture, namely the functional solutions and surfaces which reference the Nordic architectural tradition of clean lines and refined detail. Instead of closing off around a courtyard, the building consists of just one free-standing building which has an extrovert relation to the surrounding green harbor areas and lively promenades.

The architecture gives rise to an exciting contrast between the white-washed façade’s simple and strict lines and the organic shapes of the recessive penthouse floor and the balconies, dressed in tombac. The north-facing facade has bay windows in tombac which also give animation and dynamic to the building. The balconies are one of the building’s most crucial aesthetic elements. They have slightly different dimensions, enabling diversity in expression. The corner balconies make up a particularly characteristic element as they stretch around the building’s corners and tie the facades together.

The many metal rooves and towers in Copenhagen are the inspiration for the use of the coppery tombac.