Community Building in Ballerup, Denmark

This low-energy building was designed as a community centre for the housing developments Egebuen and Egestrædet. The façades consist mainly of highly insulated mahogany window elements with triple glazing and a low-emission inner coating. The façade panels are clad externally in cedar. Equal areas of transparent and translucent glazing create unusual indoor lighting conditions. The internal sunshading is in the form of light-fabric roller blinds, which also provide a visual screen. Ventilation occurs via three roof lights and clerestory strips in the façades, which are opened partly automatically by thermostatic controls and partly by hand. The kitchen and sanitary core, the floor elements, the columns and roof are in exposed concrete.