CBS Kilen: Central in a lively area

A unique aesthetic experience unfolds as you step into the wedge-shaped building at Solbjerg Metro Station that has made Copenhagen Business School (CBS) a hub of renewed urban life in the area.

The building, called “CBS Kilen” (“The CBS Wedge”), combines with CBS’s existing building on Solbjerg Square to form the boundaries of a campus with outdoor green spaces in between. The core idea of CBS Kilen is a dynamic ground floor that draws in the lively activity and landscape of the surrounding new squares and buildings, including the newly renovated Frederiksberg Central Library, Frederiksberg Upper Secondary School, and Frederiksberg Centret Shopping Center.

Light and Landscape

The wedge rests on two grassy mounds, and the glass facade creates a seamless transition between light, landscape and the building’s interior.

From the second floor upwards, the building is shielded by movable vertical shutters in a combination of wood, stained glass and metal, giving the edifice a varied look. Inside, an organically shaped atrium courtyard rises to a height of five stories. Both diffuse and direct sunlight shine through the circular skylights, forming captivating combinations of light and shadow in the indoor courtyard. Classrooms and offices line the outer walls, and the corridors are interior balconies with a view to the atrium courtyard. Two glass elevators and an elegant spiral staircase link the different floors of the building.

Teaching, Gym and Café

While the top three floors of the building are reserved for research and administration, the three bottom floors and the atrium courtyard are more lively, with a cafe, conference rooms, classroom facilities, and group study rooms for students. The basement has an underground parking garage and a gym. The building was designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects, who were praised by the architect competition jury for “a credible design that offers many possibilities for a dynamic study environment over time, with the adjustments that are required in every project.”

Part of a Bigger Master Plan

CBS Kilen is part of a bigger master plan for the area between Nordre Fasanvej and Falkoner Allé. An eight-meter-wide promenade connects the Metro square at Nordre Fasanvej with the square in front of Copenhagen Business School. The promenade consists of a large cast concrete strip with holes for trees and tall grasses. A terraced square with wide concrete steps lies between Howitzvej and CBS Kilen, creating an inviting space to sit and socialize. The master plan is the result of a collaboration between Lundgaard & Tranberg and landscape architect Marianne Levinsen.