The Mountain Dwellings
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) + JDS · Copenhagen, Denmark · 2008
The Mountain Dwellings transforms a parking structure into a terraced residential landscape. Rather than stacking apartments above parking in a conventional vertical arrangement, the project places housing as a stepped mountain of homes over a large garage, giving each dwelling a garden-like terrace, sunlight, and views. The garage remains visible as an infrastructural base, while the residential layer forms a dramatic artificial hillside. This hybrid approach turns a pragmatic development brief into a memorable urban form and demonstrates BIG’s recurring interest in merging infrastructure with social and environmental value. Seen from Ørestad, the project’s sloping profile and pixelated facade make it one of the district’s most recognizable buildings.