Copenhagen Opera House
Det Kongelige Teater: The Royal Theatre, Denmark
af Henning Larsen Arkitekt, 2001-05
Photos of the building 7 April 2006 © adrian welch
Black Cloud hovers; approach from southwest; massive cantilever over entry
Looking out of foyer, north towards Amalienborg / city; foyer lights; foyer stair cut
Copenhagen Opera House architects - Henning Larsens
More Operaen Photos in the archive - available upon request
Copenhagen Opera House Photos © adrian welch
The Opera House resulted from a donation by the A.P. Møller & Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation. The building is on axis with the Queen's Residence, Amalienborg
Operaen: Description
The Copenhagen Opera House was given to the people of Denmark from the AP Møller Foundation in Oct 2004. This boldy contemporary opera house is run by Det Kongelige Teater for opera + ballet. Located in Dokoen / Holmen on a promontory of dock east of Christianshavn in the centre of the city the building is 14 storeys high, five of which are below ground.
The design is reminiscent of the Concert Hall at Lucerne, Switzerland by architect Jean Nouvel*. When I visited Copenhagen in 2002 Holmen was a dull naval base cut off from the city; a recent visit in 2005 shows the huge cantilevers dominating the harbour from Knippelsbro. The Danish Architecture Centre is located just to the west in the lovely old quarter of Christianshavn. Due to being located across the harbour from the centre of Copenhagen the Opera building is still quite out of the way, quite a walk from the Strøget.
Opera House Lighting: images © Speirs Major Associates
Scottish company Mike Stoane Lighting provided lights, whilst Speirs Major Associates (part Scottish) provided lighting design. Acoustic design was by Arup Acoustics with Henning Larsens Tegnestue. The site was gifted by Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller, Denmark's wealthiest citizen. Maersk is one of the world's largest shipping logistics companies at the time of writing, ie handling shipping containers, but are involved in other sectors.
Danish Architecture image © adrian welch
Photo of Opera House under construction in 2002 - five yellow cranes, opposite Amalienborg
*The Cultural & Congress Centre was completed in 2000 just as designs were being prepared for the Opera House, surely an influence on Henning Larsen. Jean Nouvel has been commissioned to design a Concert Hall for the Danish Broadcasting Corporation
Copenhagen Architecture
Mike Stoane Lighting - Contact: +44 (0)131 440 1313
Speirs Major Associates - Contact: +44 (0)131 226 4474
Modern House
Speirs Major Associates - responsible for lighting the Copenhagen Opera House - also designed the lighting for the Burj al Arab tower in Dubai and teamed up with Lifschutz Davidson on the Glasgow Bridge project
Copenhagen Opera House Photos © adrian welch
World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe
Comments / photos for the Copenhagen Opera House page welcome:
info@e-architect.co.uk
Copenhagen Opera House - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
Website: www.operahus.dk/default_uk.htm