A local community theater in Copenhagen's Taastrup neighborhood recently received an incredible energy efficiency retrofit that encapsulates the existing building within a tessellated façade of translucent pyramids. Designed by COBE, the Taastrup Theater renovation boasts a beautiful multi-faceted skin that insulates the interior while allowing daylight to filter in. The renovated theater also benefits from a simplified program, an expanded floor plan, and increased connectivity with its surrounding community.

COBE was originally called upon to improve the energy efficiency of the Taastrup Theater, an aging concrete structure situated in a social housing neighborhood in Copenhagen. The architects went above and beyond their brief by devising a visually-striking second skin for the building that insulates the interior structure while extending the theater’s area.

Inspired by the opening curtains of a theatrical production, the building’s façade is composed of acrylic prisms accented by red lights that signify the start of each play. The newly-extended interior space features an open foyer, an arrival area, and a café. The opacity and positioning of the pyramids is carefully controlled to allow in the optimal amount of daylight without overheating the interior, and operable windows allow for natural ventilation when the mercury rises.