A water-themed haven in the city centre: Copenhagen’s ‘Water Culture House (Vandkulturhuset)’
A space of water and light set against the backdrop of a grey harbour
This site, situated in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark, and formerly known as ‘Paper Island’ due to its cluster of warehouses that once stored newsprint, is being transformed into a new wellness hub.
In the space left behind by the departure of the rugged industrial facilities, the ‘Water Culture House’—a collaboration between Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and the long-established Danish firm Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects—is set to open.
Combining Denmark’s distinctive cosy ‘hygge’ culture with Japan’s serene aesthetic, this waterside space offers city dwellers a new form of relaxation centred around water.
The meeting of Kengo Kuma’s timber architecture and Nordic modernism
From its exterior alone, the Water Culture House boldly breaks away from the typical silhouette of a sports centre. Kengo Kuma, renowned for his mastery of nature-friendly materials, has once again placed the inherent qualities of nature—such as wood, earth and brick—at the forefront.
The unique pyramid-shaped roof structures are the result of a modern reinterpretation of the historic silhouettes of the warehouses that once lined the harbour. Upon entering, clay bricks and warm wooden frames envelop the space in a sense of calm, harmonising with the refined Nordic Modernist layout characteristic of Wilhelm Lauritzen Architects. It is a form in which Eastern and Western architectural languages interlock seamlessly through the medium of ‘water’.
From the sauna to the rooftop hot spring: recovery through water
The key feature here is the opportunity to experience a diverse range of water-based recovery routines as part of one’s daily life, right in the heart of the city. As a large-scale, multi-faceted wellness hub, the interior facilities are also thoughtfully organised.
- Indoor and outdoor swimming pools: Designed to blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, the swimming pools offer visitors a sense of spacious openness. The visual experience of light reflecting off the water’s surface and playing upon the wooden ceiling structures helps to calm and soothe the mind.
- Sauna facilities: Saunas are situated throughout the centre to relieve the tension in bodies weary from daily life, offering moments of warm relaxation.
- Rooftop Hot Spring: Situated at the very top of the building, this outdoor hot spring area is the venue’s signature spot, where you can enjoy complete relaxation whilst taking in the unobstructed views of Copenhagen’s harbour and the city skyline.
A community hub connecting people
The Water Culture House is more than just a functional space for washing and swimming. The architects wanted it to be a place where city dwellers with diverse lifestyles could naturally gather and interact.
The community facilities and lounge areas, which extend from inside the building along the waterfront promenade, serve as a hub where people can gather to enjoy a cup of tea and a chat after exercising or relaxing. This is made possible by the meticulously planned layout, which allows for both personal relaxation and organic social interaction to occur naturally within a single space. In effect, the former industrial port site has been completely redefined as a stylish hub that showcases the city’s vitality.
New architecture that slows down the pace of the city
Paper Island’s Water Culture House exemplifies what architecture should offer to the city and its people.
It has shed the legacy of a former port site that emphasised only efficiency and speed, and in its place has created a setting for emotional recovery and sensory rejuvenation. As the opening season approaches, why not set aside the complexities of daily life for a moment and experience true relaxation in this water-based space that mirrors nature?
Water Culture House (Vandkulturhuset)
- Location: Papirøen (Christiansholm), Copenhagen, Denmark
- Scheduled to open in December 2026
- Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates, Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects
- Key facilities: Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hydrotherapy sauna, rooftop outdoor hot spring, community lounge and wellness facilities
