Media House for Danish Broadcasting Corporation

The Danish Broadcasting Corporation's new media house is home to Denmark's national TV and radio news organisation. The building accommodates media and programme directors and their staff, production facilities, archives and research centre, and the journalism and entertainment departments, including all union organizations, film processing, garages and a support centre.

The diversity of functions has been crucial in developing Dissing+Weitling's design of the news building. The driving concept is that of a 'dynamic building'.  This is expressed in the final project which is both flexible in its structure and interactive in its use, both internally and with respect to the public at large.

This concept of dynamism can be seen in all facets of the building. The large, transparent façade opens the news building towards the urban space, allowing direct views into the enormous atrium embracing the whole building over several floors, creating a connection between the organic, curved balcony, the central news studio and the building's internal street. The interior design ranges from open office landscapes to various individual rooms for project teams with smaller cellular offices and quiet rooms.

Sustainable technologies and building solutions are also integrated in the overall design strategy. The building demonstrates how environmental consciousness contributes technically as well as aesthetically to the overall architectural expression.

The extensive use of glass on the facades as well as the roof makes it possible to take advantage of daylight and reduce the use of artificial lighting. The increased demands for regulation of the indoor climate prompted much of the current research at D+W, thanks to support from the EU. This resulted in a completely new indoor climate concept combining groundwater cooling, a double façade sytem, natural ventilation and incorporation of solar cells in the roof construction.
 
Dissing+Weitling's integration of energy-saving solutions in the architecture of this building has been awarded the Solar Prize 2006 by the City of Copenhagen.

Facts

Media Building
Copenhagen, Denmark
2007

Competition: First Prize, Invited competition, 2002

Floor area: 32,400 m2

Client: Danish Broadcasting Corporation
Architect: DISSING+WEITLING
Engineer: NIRAS
Façade engineer: ARUP Facade Engineering, London
Acoustic Consultant:  ARUP Acoustics, London

Photographers: Adam Moerk | MEW

Related links

dr.dk
cphx.dk