Tredje Natur and Lendager Group Feature Upcycled Materials On New Copenhagen High-Rise

Joined by their common interest in sustainability, Danish architecture firms Lendager Group and TREDJE NATUR have announced their design for CPH Common House, a new residential and commercial building in the Ørestad area of Copenhagen that they call “the world’s first upcycled high rise” for its use of repurposed and recycled post-consumer material.

The focus on environmental considerations extends from material choices to the form of the building itself, which combines courtyard and high-rise building elements by gradually splitting the 75-meter corner tower into a pair of terraced wings that create both a central courtyard and abundant outdoor balcony and roof space for residents.

Designed for SOLSTRA Development and Bellakvarter A/S, the design for CPH Common House expands on concepts that the Lendager Group previously explored in their experimental Upcycle House, which used two shipping containers as structural elements for a four-bedroom house that also incorporated particle board finish pieces made from recycled lumber, recycled champagne cork bathroom tiles and facade panels derived from recycled granulated paper.

The new high-rise will boast facade elements made from recycled tiles and concrete with brick fractures, paneling constructed from recycled window frames and reclaimed wood flooring. In total, the design team estimates that the project would make use of 17,577 tons of recycled waste material.

Along with the environmental benefits of using repurposed and recycled material, the design philosophy behind the project is also intended to connect the new building to the context and character of its surroundings.

With CPH Common House, we want to show that you can easily build high and densely without losing the connection to history, context and the human scale, said Ole Schrøder, partner at TREDJE NATUR, the project is based on a strong understanding of the site, resources and the microclimate – which creates an empathetic benchmark for sustainable high-rise buildings in Copenhagen.