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HYDRA, Fredericia, 2020.
Multi-story carpark.

HYDRA brings concrete to life in Kanalbyen. It breathes, drips and shines - a living house.

Standing as a striking 9,000 square-meter parking house of fiber cement panels, copper accents, and a large mosaic glass eye, the garage embodies the spirit of the area. In addition to its simple and streamlined economic profitability, the car park integrates with its surroundings and welcomes its users. It opens outwards, creating a small oasis on the edge of Kanalbyen. Wrapped in greenery and alive with atmosphere, the structure transforms parking into an experience, blending architecture and nature in harmony.

The vision behind HYDRA emphasizes sustainability, marrying industrial elements of concrete and machines with the natural forces of water, air, and nature. It’s a space where leaving your car becomes an act of connection—to the environment, the community, and the movement of life around you.

Beyond its functionality, HYDRA is a testament to the fusion of beauty and necessity. It reflects the passing of time, gaining strength and character as it ages. The building becomes more than a parking lot—it becomes a daily reminder of stability and grace, evolving with each passing moment.

Through her design, Kirstine invites users to explore the interplay of light, shadow, and texture. The building is wrapped in a series of reliefs, where glass, concrete, planting, and water come together to create a living stage. The materiality of HYDRA stimulates our sight, thought and inner sensitivity, offering an abstract beauty that draws you in. From the concrete music in the reliefs to the changing poetry of sun, water, and shadow, HYDRA creates a space where nature and architecture meet, and where art and aesthetic vibrations flow freely.

Experience the artwork at Kanalbyen, 7000 Fredericia, Denmark.

Date:

2020

Commission:

by Kanalbyen, Fredericia Municipality

Budget:

€729,000

Supported by:

Statens Kunstfond &
New Carlsberg Foundation

In collaboration with:

Kanalbyen, Fredericia

Modern building with circular multicolored glass window
Colorful glass panels on a modern building facade reflecting the sky.
Colorful modern building facade with glass panels reflecting sky and trees
Modern building facade with a colorful circular glass design and concrete elements.
Exterior of a parking garage labeled "HYDRA" with concrete walls, architectural design elements, and a sign indicating parking. The building is located near residential houses with a clear sky in the background.
Exterior wall of a parking garage with a white car parked outside.
Climbing plants and vines on a concrete wall with green and brown leaves, surrounded by wildflowers and foliage at the base.
Indoor parking area with colorful stained glass windows casting colorful reflections on the ground, featuring a geometric sculpture in the background.
Colorful shadows on a brick pavement from stained glass windows.
Abstract graffiti on concrete surface with colorful geometric shapes in green, red, blue, and yellow.
Sculpture of geometric shapes in a building with a view of water outside.
Colorful light patterns on a floor from stained glass windows.
Three colorful spheres attached to the side of a gray concrete building against a blue sky.

Photography by Andreas Omvik.
Copyright: Studio Roepstorff, 2024.