Copenhagen’s CopenHill puts ski slopes and walking trails on a waste-to-energy plant. Seven years after opening, its roof shows how industrial equipment and public routes share a building.
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At CopenHill in Copenhagen, Denmark, going skiing means heading onto the roof of a waste incinerator. An artificial ski slope runs down the long, sloping building. Below, waste is burned to produce energy; above, people ski downhill. Opened in 2019, the site marked its seventh anniversary in October 2026.
The architects at BIG began with the heights of the equipment inside the plant. Arranging machinery from tall to short created a sloping building profile, with ski runs of different gradients above it. Organizing the plant's internal space also established the routes across its roof. The completed slopes include areas for experienced skiers and beginners.
The ski area does not need snowfall to open. Its artificial surface allows skiing and snowboarding throughout the year. The upper section is steeper, with gentler terrain in the middle and below. Four lifts connect the sections, and equipment rental and lessons are available. The arrangement brings an activity often associated with distant winter mountains into the city.
Visitors do not have to ski to go up. According to the operating information, the roof, walking trails, running route, and café are accessible during opening hours, and the lift to the top is free. People exercising and people enjoying the view share the building. Trees and greenery cover parts of the roof, and a climbing wall rises along its exterior.
The lift beside the chimney has a glass wall facing the plant, allowing passengers to see the equipment on the way up. A facility they might otherwise pass at a distance becomes a place to visit, with a chance to see what happens beneath the slopes. This spatial arrangement does not, by itself, resolve all the environmental impacts of waste incineration.
An arresting feature of CopenHill is that the plant and ski area fit into the same photograph. A major piece of city infrastructure provides another surface for public use. Machinery runs below while someone descends the slope above. The building's height serves two very different parts of daily life.
Sources and editorial notes
BIG — CopenHill Official Design Description
CopenHill — Guide to current operations and free roof access
CopenHill — Skiing course and lift information
CopenHill — 7th Anniversary Event Announcement
CopenHill — Press·2019 opening and image conditions
Editorial note: Facts were checked against the sources above; interpretations reflect MUADAILY’s editorial perspective. Image: Laurian Ghinitoiu / Courtesy of BIG.
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