T-Houses
Steven Holl Architects

Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects

A green folded space with multiple elevations on top of the commercial space is sliced open by the insertion of five rotated dancing towers.

Steven Holl Architects recently presented the design for T- Husene (the T- Houses) located in the Ørestaden area of Copenhagen.

With this project Steven Holl Architects sets a new example for residential typologies based on the concept of urban porosity. Leaving behind the standard typology of residential perimeter blocks, the dancing T's with colored and reflective undersides carve the sky within the green folded space.


Sketch courtesy Steven Holl Architects

Inspired by twilight and the Scandinavian sky, the T-shaped buildings maximize high quality residential floor space with views to the horizon and sunset. Building downwards from the maximum height level, taking into consideration maximum view, each tower will contain 50 apartments in 22 different configurations.


Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects

Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects

We wanted to create a sense of autonomy, individuation, and particularity for each apartment and tower. One of the failures of modern housing comes from the lack of individualization. Concepts should not be based on the mass, but on individuals. We aim for an architecture that is in connection to each human being. Therefore, new typologies need to be created of which the dancing T's are an example.

/Steven Holl

At the same time, the working environment of the commercial area is improved by the green folded landscape, allowing the nature reserve to flow from the Amager Fælled through Ørestaden onto the green square in the east.

High quality natural materials and sustainable solutions for future challenges will be an integral part of the project.


Sketch courtesy Steven Holl Architects

Ørestaden is a new area located less than ten minutes away from historic Copenhagen by metro, close to Scandinavia's main airport, and connected directly to Malmø in Sweden.