Copenhagen’s Skyscraper Becomes City’s Highest Ski Resort
There’s an old question on what to do with the trash a big city piles up, but Copenhagen’s answer is to let you glide down a waste‑management building instead of dumping it in the mountains.
Meet Copenhill
Just ten minutes from downtown, the state‑of‑the‑art centre is an 85‑metre high building with a slanted roof covered in a green, dry‑slope material called neveplast.
Director Christian Ingels jokes, “You’ll be fooled at first because it doesn’t look like a typical slope—there’s no snow.” But once you take a few runs, you’ll be in full ski mode, all while the building is churning out electricity and heat for the city.
Why the Slope Matters
Copenhill is part of Copenhagen’s ambition to become the world’s first carbon‑neutral capital. Instead of a distant ski resort you have to drive three or four hours to, residents can hit the slopes in minutes and turn the city’s garbage into a greener future.
- Built by the renowned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels.
- Opened in 2017 – the ski facility opened for everyone in spring.
- Year‑long snow‑free slopes – visit anytime, enjoy the run anytime.
- Daily waste – the plant processes waste from 600,000 residents and 68,000 local businesses.
- Power & heat – it turns trash into electricity, district heating, and recycled materials.
- Local joy – people love the fact that skiing is now just a ten‑minute commute away.
Quotes From Skiers & Residents
Christian Ingels: “It starts off as a green hill, but after one or two runs you’re already in ski mode.”
Pelle Hansen: “Skiing in ten minutes on a city hill? That’s the dream.”
Tommy Christensen: “Skiing without snow is oddly awesome—first run, second run, I’m hooked.”
So if you ever find yourself looking at the mountain of garbage in your city, why not hit the slopes at Copenhill? It’s a clean, cool, sustainable, and surprisingly fun way to make trickle the trash into a great winter sport experience.
