Water and sand are among the most important resources on earth - and they are also two of the most popular play materials. Combined with our Stainless steel water feature system they become „magic“ on every playground.
The Copenhagen architectural office 3XN has been involved in the planning of the Blue Planet The company made a conscious decision to extend the building with a spacious water play landscape. The result is a fascinating water playground made of stainless steel, which Kaiser & Kühne realised together with its Danish partner and which blends in perfectly with the award-winning architecture.
The Blue Planet - the national aquarium of Denmark
Marvel at rays and sharks in the underwater tunnel, get active in the water playground with pumps and sluices or go on a discovery tour in the rainforest: In the National Aquarium Denmark - Den Blå Planet you won't be bored for a second.
The Blue Planet is Denmark's largest and most modern aquarium and is considered the largest aquarium in Northern Europe. On an indoor area of around 10,000 m² and an outdoor area of around 2,000 m², visitors can experience thousands of aquatic animal species and a total of around seven million litres of water - right on the banks of the Öresund in Kastrup near Copenhagen.
Architecturally, the building immediately catches the eye: like a gigantic whirlpool, it draws guests into its vortex-shaped floor plan and thus figuratively „under the surface of the water“. Numerous awards - including the RIBA EU Architect Award and the „Best Building“ award at the World Architecture Festival - emphasise the iconic character of the building.
Water play landscape with clear shapes and stainless steel
The water playground is located directly in front of the entrance to the aquarium and is part of the outdoor area that surrounds the Blue Planet with water on all sides. The shimmering stainless steel play equipment echoes the look of the silver, diamond-shaped aluminium façade and fits in perfectly with the urban location right by the sea.
The water play landscape comprises several levels and water channels that open up in a fan shape towards the Öresund. Children can control and change the water flow themselves using pumps, sluices, channels and basins. One Water spiral and others Water play equipment made of stainless steel make it possible to experience the element of water in different ways - without deep pools of water, but with a high level of movement and experimentation.
For the Blue Planet as a highly frequented tourist attraction, a particularly durable, robust and maintenance-friendly solution was crucial. The stainless steel appliances used are based on the high standards that we set with our Quality seals document.
Architecture, location and playground in dialogue
From the very beginning, it was important to the Kaiser & Kühne design and architecture team that the water playground seamlessly and naturally into the architectural concept of the Blue Planet. The harbour with a view of the Öresund, the spectacular shape of the building and the surrounding water basin around the aquarium create a harmonious overall picture, which is continued in the playground.
„When we plan a facility like this, the location is important to us first. The building here is incredibly fascinating for us because it picks up on the play theme of water with its structure and also gives our stainless steel material a place on the side with the aluminium façade material,“ explains Wolfram Ziegenhorn from Kaiser & Kühne, whose team is responsible for the design of the play equipment.
At the same time, the water playground, building and surroundings interact via their Play of colour and light together. The aluminium façade reflects the daylight like a water surface, while the stainless steel equipment reflects light and colours in its own nuances. This creates an interplay in which the architecture, landscape and play equipment act like an orchestra - each element contributes its part to the overall sound.
The planning team utilised the natural slope towards the Öresund to bring the theme of water to life with all the senses: The channels and play lines open up like a fan towards the coast and pick up on the central motif of the Blue Planet architecture - the water vortex. If you look closely, you will recognise the „water splashes“ of this whirlpool in the arrangement of the play elements.
Further information on the aquarium, the architecture and the outdoor facilities can be found on the official website of the National Aquarium Denmark - Den Blå Planet and the contribution to the Opening of the water playground.
