3XN, a Danish firm founded by Kim Herforth Nielsen. The firm has gained international recognition in part due to winning a number of competitions, and its current projects include a new British museum in Liverpool and a new arts & media center for the university of Salford . But to start things off, here’s the first featured project by 3XN.

The Nordhavnen Residences in Copenhagen which was awarded this years MIPIM - with the MIPIM AR Future Projects Award 2006 in the category ‘Residential’

Copenhagen is apparently experiencing rapid urban development/growth,therefore creating a need for new housing in surrounding areas.

Hundreds of new apartments are being erected especially at the Northern Harbor (Nordhavnen), not far away from the city centre. This area is urged by us to develop into a playground for creative designs and new ways of perceiving the way we live.

The city is now using this rise in the demand for housing as a means to investigate new and innovative solutions to urban living.

The description about Project：

4 organic shaped apartment towers are situated in a free, playful and humanistic urban landscape. The towers consist of elliptical floor plans creating elliptical balconies which shift position moving upwards. The result is playful in its appearance, with several pragmatic advantages too.

The balcony extension to the rational building core is relatively simple and economical affordable, but has high impact on the design. The roundly shaped towers give way for a better view from each apartment, and reduce wind turbulence. Energy consumption is also minimized through the perfect balance between internal area and perimeter. The shifting of the balconies ensures a more direct experience of the sky above.