Copenhagen-based architecture studio ADEPT is a proponent of circular design. ADEPT recently completed the first in a series of EV (electric vehicle) charging parks for Norlys, a Danish energy and telecommunications group. The charging parks are designed for disassembly and have a green profile that can be adapted to suit future locations.
Odense in eastern Denmark is the first location of the new EV charging park (fifteen sites are currently planned). The design accommodates a rapid increase in the number of charging parks in Denmark. ADEPT has conceived a green roadside stop that provides a brief respite for drivers and passengers while their cars charge — the site incorporates various amenities, activities, and biodiverse landscapes. The EV charging park is designed to embrace better access to sustainable energy solutions and democratic design, including ease of use, functionality, and an aesthetic quality.
“The charging park design consists of easily recognizable details and elements that can be adapted to different geographical locations and sizes,” says ADEPT. “The simple composition of a green roof, service buildings, driving surface, and surrounding landscape creates a clear, but deliberately quite humble, identity.” The EV charging park’s unassuming and unfussy design communicates values that are important to Norlys, particularly in relation to climate and the environment: the aim is to reduce the park’s carbon footprint by using a design for disassembly approach and choosing materials that are biodegradable, circular, and/or recyclable. Furthermore, ADEPT has integrated an intuitive user experience and visual wayfinding cues.
ADEPT developed a design concept that provides a high degree of flexibility depending on the needs of a particular location. “A meticulously detailed wooden structure with visible mechanical details, an experiential landscape project, and green roofs make up the simple design,” says the studio. The cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure has a double span roof with few components and visible mechanical joints: “The design vocabulary of the Norlys EV charging parks is formed by a series of characteristic tectonic details,” says ADEPT.
Landscaping is a core component of the new EV charging parks and constitutes 60 percent of the first park’s site, including its green roofs. The inclusion of green roofs improves biodiversity and attenuates rainwater.
ADEPT replaced the standard use of asphalt (in infrastructural projects) with permeable surfaces and warm bricks — bricks are laid in a range of tones and patterns, helping to guide users to different points of the charging park. The introduction of native and varied vegetation improves the overall experience for visitors to the park — an “activity loop” encourages users to wander while their cars charge.
“An integrated design collaboration with Danish science event center ‘Experimentarium’ offers a variety of science-based experiences for all ages with a focus on environmental awareness and energy use,” says ADEPT. Titled “The Hunt for Good Energy”, the experience will feature at selected charging parks.
