'light box' by we architecture
images courtesy of we architecture


copenhagen based-studio we architecture has designed 'light box', an extension
of an existing danish-style high school in frederiksberg denmark. the project,
which won third place in a recent international competition looks to expand the gym facilities
of the school without drastically reducing the popular pergola and courtyard spaces.
immersed half-way into the ground, the new structure is designed to blend in as an
extrusion of the existing outdoor area, a spacious elevated terrace with plentiful exposure to the sun.



gallery above gymnasium


smooth, curving, ivy covered walls encircle the volume - a protruding light box
which penetrates the ceiling of the gymnasium below. light enters the sunken space
through this glazed void and windows that exist in negative space between the new
structure and the existing built environment.



courtyard


sculptural wood forms wrap around the court, transitioning between steps, benches,
walls and doorways. an elevated gallery runs the perimeter of the multi-purpose space,
providing additional viewing space and further emphasizing the dominant structure
that looms above. 



rooftop courtyard



physical model



overall structure



courtyard



windows into lower gymnasium



rooftop courtyard



the basketball court which sits below the elevated courtyard and light box



site plan



floor plan



roof plan



diagram of programs



diagram of retractable roof



diagram