Nokken Winterbathers’ House
The Winter Bathers’ House offers both public and private space for people to enjoy the harbor. It contains a sauna and a locker room, as well as decks and stairs for swimming or relaxing. by The design maintains a low profile to avoid disrupting the existing community. While the general form is unique to the area, the materiality and detailing references ships and the nearby buildings. For example, the round window and timber panels reference the traditional fishing boats of the area, and the shapes of the planters reflect the eclectic nature of many of the nearby fishermen’s’ huts. The inclusion of native grasses and shrubs in the landscaping and planters additionally integrates the building into its surroundings.
Context
The Bathershouse is located on the harbor beside the Nokken fishermen’s village. Nokken is just south of the Islands Brygge neighborhood in the city of Coppenhagen. The village is made up of self-built sheds, homes, and workshops, put up by fishermen beginning in the 1930’s. Since then, the village has been granted allotment status by the municipality. As a result, it has been untouched by the expanding city that surrounds it.
Many of the homes are colorful, multi-structure, and use a wide variety of materials in both structures and landscape. Despite this, the buildings do not intrude on each other. They are tucked away behind bushes, ivy covered walls, or have only a plain facade facing the public.
Concept
My design is a result of two converging concepts. Firstly, I explored a pair of wave-like shapes, one emerging from the water, and anther from land, and using the space between the two as a structure. Secondly, I was inspired by the structure of the fishing village to create a building that while unique, did not intrude on any of the other plots.
