News: Danish studio COBE has unveiled its designs for an extension to the Red Cross headquarters in Copenhagen, comprising a large triangular structure that rises up from the ground at an angle to meet the existing building.
COBE won a competition to design the an extension to the existing building for the Danish Red Cross in spring last year.
In collaboration with PK3 landscape architects and Søren Jensen engineers, the firm has now produced detailed designs for the project, called Volunteer House.
Located in the centre of Copenhagen, the city in which the firm has recently completed a masonry-clad kindergarten and a golden library, the 750-square-metre building appears like one side of giant pitched roof. It is covered in staggered steps, which are intended to act as public seating.
An opening cut into the structure will connect to the existing building's original entrance, creating a central common space as well as providing new facilities for the organisation.
"Currently located in a central and busy area of Copenhagen, many people pass by the building daily and as a result the Volunteer House has been designed with the ambition to invite people in and to encourage passersby to enter and explore," explained COBE in a statement.
Inside, casual visitors will have access to a cafe and exhibition area. To the left of the entrance, a large staircase will lead up to a conference and exhibition space.
"The building contains an open and flexible interior lay-out with the possibility of facilitating various requirements such as workshops, meetings, exhibitions, events, lectures, film showings and much more," added the firm.
The steps on the top of the sharply angled structure will be broken up by planted sections filled with grasses and trees.
"The roof will be a distinctive place attracting and inviting people to stop and hang out. A meeting place not only for the current employees and volunteers of the Red Cross – but for all citizens in Copenhagen and beyond," said Dan Stubbergaard, founder of COBE.
The Volunteer House will be built with a 25 million DDK (£2.6 million) donation from the A P Møller Foundation.
COBE has also recently won a competition to design a new transport centre for Tampere, Finland's second-largest city, and completed an aluminium-clad museum of maritime history in Norway last year.
