The Ultimate in Mixed-Use

Waste-to-energy power plant, and ski slope? Architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) proposed the unusual idea for a competition to replace a power plant in Copenhagen -- and won.

1 minute read

February 5, 2011, 1:00 PM PST

By Tim Halbur


BIG says they took the approach of "hedonistic sustainability" when designing the ski slope-slash-power plant.

Ivy Harrison writes:

"Physical exercise and fresh air are rarely associated with waste treatment plants. But here the ski slope reaches out to citizens and gives them a new recreational facility, even as it creates a new relationship between waste plant and city. It shows a connection between shaping a healthy future and disposing waste."


courtesy BIG architects

Thursday, February 3, 2011 in Metropolis Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Large Walmart store with empty parking lot.

How Smaller Supermarkets Could Transform American Communities

Bigger is not always better.

January 2, 2025 - Marcelo Remond

Large brutalist building and skyscrapers viewed from middle of wide street in downtown Houston, Texas.

Research Links Urban Design and Human Happiness

An emerging field of ‘neuroarchitectural’ research is revealing how building facades and urban design impact the human brain and body.

January 3, 2025 - Wired

Pedestrians in a busy city intersection with a cirty bus passing behind them.

Save Lives on Our Roads Using the Safe System Approach

Prioritizing safety and committing to the SSA framework can make a big impact in the effort to reduce traffic fatalities.

January 1, 2025 - Beth Wemple

"Danger Extreme Fire Hazard" sign on street sign post below "No Parking" sign.

Rising Temperatures and the Escalating Wildfire Crisis

Rising global temperatures driven by climate change are intensifying and prolonging wildfire seasons worldwide, necessitating improved forest management, public awareness, and urgent action to reduce fossil fuel emissions.

2 hours ago - DW.com

Minneapolis, Minnesota skyline with river and bridge in foreground.

Looking Back on 60 Years of Land Development in the Twin Cities

In 1960, about 12 percent of the Twin Cities metro's land was already developed. By 2020, about 34 percent had been developed. Many factors influenced how the region has changed since 1960.

4 hours ago - Metropolitan Council: Metro Update

New Haven, Connecticut downtown skyline with fall foliage in foreground.

New Haven Reaches for Reinvention Amidst Failures of Urban Renewal

Seeking recovery from decades of failed urban renewal projects, New Haven rings in the new year by continuing a series of small-scale urban planning initiatives to reinvent its municipal spaces. 

6 hours ago - Governing Magazine

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.