Mole hill: Danish gym swells up from underground

Hellerup, Denmark – Architects firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has designed an underground high school gymnasium with an undulating roof and sustainability at its core.

The Old Hellerup High School, near Copenhagen, needed a new gym, and who better to turn to than alumnus Bjarke Ingels? Rather than add to the landscape, BIG decided to go underground to minimise the environmental impact, provide natural insulation and create an informal meeting space out of the new wooden hill in the school’s courtyard.

Above ground, the heaving ceiling provides a social space for students to gather in, with stools and a long curving bench around its sides. Underneath, the Gammel Hallerup Gymnasium is heated by solar cells, and has numerous skylights that allow natural light to seep through, creating a surprisingly airy subterranean space.

The white ash and concrete interior is reminiscent of our Soft Reduction design direction in which designers use craft materials for a pared-down aesthetic.