Arkitema and COWI, in collaboration with the client Energinet, have developed a comprehensive plan and overall design for a converter and transformer plant which supports this vision by combining advanced technology with a profound respect for the local culture, nature and biodiversity.
The chosen model highlights the open energy landscape of the facility, inviting citizens to explore the relationship between nature and technology.
The architecture presents a series of large volumes with sloping facades clad in materials that match the character of the site, and is naturally integrated into the surrounding landscape through two defined ‘clearings’, which combine with the newly created wetland and stream to support biodiversity and guide visitors on a journey along a varied north-south axis. The technical facility includes several different areas which fit together into the landscape with the emphasis on harmony with the visual and environmental aspects.
The technical design has to be coordinated with the landscape architecture to ensure that the functional requirements for the facility are met while also contributing to the ecological value of the area. Among the innovative aspects are a strategic placement of technical installations to minimise their visual impact, the use of local materials and the creation of new habitats for flora and fauna. The plant’s darkness strategy and rainwater management are particular examples of how modern infrastructure can be sensitively fitted into natural surroundings.
The collaboration on the Energiø Bornholm project involved Energinet, local actors and Arkitema in a joint effort to develop a solution that shows the way forward to integrating large and necessary energy plants into the landscape.
