Interpretation of a harbour shed
featured in sb magazine 3/2021
Bifrost winter bathing club is Brøndby’s fastest growing club with some 360 members and 270 aspirants on the waiting list. The idea for a new winter bathing house was first put forward in 2015 by Bifrost members, who will benefit most from the club house designed by Matters Architects. The winter bathing house measures 110 m² and contains a bath and changing room, sauna, barrier-free toilet, community room with kitchenette and a wooden terrace with outdoor shower, bathing jetty and stairs down to the cold water of the harbour basin.
photo: Helene Høyer Mikkelsen, Brian Berg
photo: Helene Høyer Mikkelsen, Brian Berg
The building inaugurated in 2020 is called “Isfuglen” (literally “ice bird”, or “kingfisher” in English). The Danish term is appropriate as it contains the word “ice”. The club house is located at the very tip of the entry point to Brøndby Marine Harbour. The location is unique and gives the house and its members a special opportunity to become an authentic part of active harbour life. The exposed site conveys the idea of a beacon for those entering the harbour from the sea.
Good to know
photo: Helene Høyer Mikkelsen, Brian Berg
Location
Brøndby Havnevej, Denmark
Client/OperatorCity of Brøndby
Bifrost winter bathing club
Architect
MATTERS architects
DK – 2200 Copenhagen
www.mttrs.dk
Acoustic panels
Troldtekt A/S
DK – 8310 Tranbjerg J.
www.troldtekt.com
Author
MATTERS architects
Photos
Helene Høyer Mikkelsen, Brian Berg
Official opening
November 2020
Construction costs
DKK 5.400.000
(EUR 730,000)
Design concept related to context
photo: Helene Høyer Mikkelsen, Brian Berg
The house’s design is based on an analysis of the existing context. The harbour has an authentic working atmosphere with boatyard and fishing equipment services, and people fixing their boats. The existing buildings and sheds are iconic and recognizable in material and shape.
The new bathing club is a modern interpretation of these icons. The house mimics the existing buildings in shape and colour, while at the same time expressing their own unique identity – a recognizable identity and a shape that lends substance to the narrative of the harbour as an active and innovative meeting point. The large wooden deck links the club house to the ladder leading down to the waves. Part of the wooden deck affords public access to the harbour basin.
Sauna with a view
photo: Helene Høyer Mikkelsen, Brian Berg
The club offers access to a sauna with a breath-taking panoramic view of the water and includes changing rooms with skylights and shades of marine blue. Furthermore, those entering the building first access a spacious community room. The space opens up towards the wooden deck and the ocean. The façade alternates between large windows and surfaces reflecting the view. Wave-like, the ceiling varies in height. The idea is that the visitor never loses sight of the context, so even in the heat of the sauna they feel the presence of the sky, the water and the magnificent harbour.
Large windows and doors create a sense of connectedness with the charming harbour scene and the skies beyond. The room gets bathed in natural light and has a great atmosphere. Wood and Troldtekt panels underscore the warm atmosphere and ensure good acoustics.
Isfuglen has been created with a focus on social sustainability, conviviality and easy access as well as subdued acoustics and a daylight environment. The building is made from wood elements with wood fibre insulation and high-quality, responsibly sourced building materials.
