Ballonparken Logging Company
2025 (Year 3 - P2/3)
Sited in a wooded section of a large public nature park in Copenhagen, the building neighbours a small housing community (Ballon Parken) most notable for its community of self-builders and its unique history of counter-culture, conflict and military observation balloon operations.
In response to developments in the area and destruction of the forest, the community of Ballon Parken begin to inhabit the forest and care for it. The building acts as a space from which the community can study, protect and work within the forest and its nature as well as manage the parks tree population via selective logging. This is done via the use of balloon logging technology, in reference to the history of Ballon Parken (a former military observation balloon facility).
The project aims to lay lightly on the forest, hiding within and discreetly protecting the woodland. The building hacks into the natural systems already in place within the forest, using trees as structural elements, improving local biodiversity, sustainably harvesting timber and camouflaging itself within the flora. The building is to be hidden from observation by remaining within the shape of the existing tree canopy, camouflaging itself, and drawing its form from the abstracted geometry satellites observe looking down on the site.
REFERENCE: A balloon hangar neighbouring the site, converted to a horse stables - a key structural and material reference
REFERENCE: Floating trees used to camoflage Finland’s roads during WW2
REFERENCE: The ballon hangar in use
REFERENCE: The ballon hangar in use
REFERENCE: Balloon logging
REFERENCE: Ballon Parken in 1915 in use as a millitary barracks
REFERENCE: Balloon logging in British Columbia (1970s) - a large balloon flled with hydrogen retrives logs above the forest
REFERENCE: The Ballon Parken community in the 80s
REFERENCE: The ballon hangar in use during the 1930s as a military observation balloon station
REFERENCE: A balloon hangar neighbouring the site, converted to a horse stables
REFERENCE: A high-lead logging operation in British Columbia (1920s) - a large tree is used as a structural element to tow more logs from the forest