A new taphouse, on the harbor of the Danish city of Koege, will welcome the more than 15,000 yearly visitors to the nearby Braunstein micro-brewery and offer activities for the local community. Copenhagen-based ADEPT is behind the building that is “designed for disassembly” to accommodate a potential temporary lease of land.
The building stands on a stretch of municipality-owned harbor quay that is considered a potential part of the city’s climate adaptation strategy. To adapt to this possible temporary lifespan, the Braunstein Taphouse is “designed for disassembly” to make recycling the building components a realistic option if the building needs to be removed – either by relocating the entire building to a different site or by using the materials for other projects.
The Taphouse is built from just a few, sustainable materials that are not mixed as far as possible. This has reduced the volume of waste from the construction considerably, compared to similar constructions. The building is based on simple tectonic principles and is completed with mechanical joints only. All primary wall surfaces are without paint or grout. Wooden floors are laid using waste product from the nearby flooring manufacturer Junckers.
The large roof surfaces are made from click-joint polycarbonate, while wood façades are made from the CO2-neutral Accoya that is certified Cradle2Cradle Gold, FSC as well as the Danish eco-label Svanemaerket. The Taphouse is partly self-sufficient with electricity from solar panels, and natural ventilation reduces the need for mechanical ventilation.
The Braunstein Taphouse is located at the transition point between the city and the harbor and acts as a gateway that underlines the connection between water and city. The ground floor of the building accommodates a café at one end and a restaurant at the other, while the upstairs spaces are used for local community activities and private events.
The historic buildings and the raw industrial atmosphere of the harbor have inspired the architecture and the urban spaces around it. The result is a clean-cut architecture that highlights the identity of the harbor in a locally anchored project that both belongs to its surroundings and is completely its own.
