Denmark’s rowing venue gets transformed

The winning design by AART Architects was chosen following a competition involving several architectural firms, landscape companies and engineering teams. (Click here to view) 

Lake Bagsvaerd has been the home of Denmark’s high-performance rowing centre as well as of a number of rowing and canoeing clubs since the 1950s. Training on its waters has helped Danish athletes win more than 30 Olympic medals, the first one being the gold medal claimed by the men’s four at the 1964 Games in Tokyo and the latest two at the Rio 2016 Games (silver in the lightweight men’s four and bronze in the women’s pair).

In decades past, the Danish Rowing Stadium has hosted three European Rowing Championships, one World Rowing Championships, three Nations Cups for under-23 athletes, and most recently the 2016 World Rowing Masters Regatta.

But in order to fulfil the vision of Danish Rowing to host World Rowing elite regattas, The World Rowing Federation, FISA’s international requirements have to be met. The run-down training facilities need upgrading, the lake needs to be deepened and the lanes must be turned to ensure fairness and shelter from the wind.

Staging international events is not the only goal of Danish Rowing. Developing future elite rowers, winning more international medals and improving cooperation between the elite, the sub-elite and members of the public who row for leisure is also on the agenda.

The project will respect the nature surrounding Lake Bagsvaerd, which is under protection. The winning design has aimed to create a connection between the forest and lake, and the project has been created in close cooperation with all environmental authorities. The entire area will be landscaped in such a way as to encourage and facilitate exercising by everyone, whether they choose to row, bike, run, walk, climb or do strength training.

The rowing community was largely involved in the planning stage, with workshops and meetings being held and opportunities given to comment on project proposals and participate in the selection committee.

Construction will be funded through different sources. The former owners of the lake (City of Copenhagen, City of Gladsaxe, Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality and Team Denmark) as well the A.P. Moller Foundation and the Local Construction Fund will contribute to the nearly 20 million Euros needed to build a state-of-the art rowing centre, finish tower and public grandstands as well as to remodel the landscape around Lake Bagsvaerd.

The new Danish Rowing Stadium will be inaugurated with the Baltic Cup, while the International Canoe Federation will stage a Canoe Sprint World Cup in 2020 and the Canoe Sprint World Championships in 2021.

For more information, please click here.