Sitting by the Vejle Fjord, this iconic wavy residential block designed by Henning Larsen Architects fits into the underlying landscape whiles respecting the challenging location. The block has 100 apartments some of which are 2 stories. The Wave, as it is called will be reflected in the daytime in the waters of the Fjord; by night it will appear as an undulating mountain landscape of light and color. A spectacular view is assured residents from the balconies facing the Fjord.
The promenade in front of the building creates a connection between the Fjord, the landscape, and the town in a clear and recognizable way. In 2009, the building was selected as the residential building of the year by the Danish trade magazine Byggeri and, in 2010; it won the local Vejle award. The wave won an international LEAF Award in 2012.
This year, the Wave has been awarded by one of the oldest European awards schemes in the built environment–Civic Trust award; it is the first time it is awarded to a Danish architecture company in the last 51 years.
Location: Vejle, Denmark
Client: Bertel Nielsen A/S
Gross floor area: 14,000 m2
Year of construction: 2006 – 2010
Type of assignment: First prize in invited competition
Engineer: Grontmij Carl Bro
Team of architects (competition): Søren Øllgaard, Christian Schjøll, Margrethe Grøn, Jakob Hastrup and Michael Christensen
Team of architects (project): Søren Øllgaard, Jesper Høiberg, Per Ebbe Hansson, Maja Aasted, Dorte Nielsen, Pelle Munch Petersen, Hans Vogel and Peer T. Jeppesen
By Hassan Mohammed Yakubu