The Brain of the Port: Maritime Data Center

Loïc William Janet

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Samy Sharaf Eddine Rossier

Located in Nordhavnen, a historic port district undergoing transformation as Copenhagen's urban extension, this project serves as the intelligent core of a centuries-old maritime infrastructure adapting to future challenges. The building functions as the port's "brain," housing a data center that collects and processes maritime traffic data alongside distributed research basins across multiple floors. At its heart, data server towers are immersed in a sophisticated hydraulic cooling system. This innovative approach captures waste heat from computational processes and redistributes it to regulate temperatures in the research basins throughout the building. This symbiotic relationship between digital infrastructure and marine research creates a self-sustaining ecosystem where technology and science converge. The project embodies circular design principles, transforming the energy demands of data processing into a resource for studying Baltic Sea ecosystems under various climate scenarios. By integrating port operations, computational power, and marine research, the building positions Nordhavnen as a nexus of maritime innovation—honoring the port's legacy while pioneering sustainable solutions for coastal urban development.

LINKS
Team
Unit:
LDM
Teachers:
Jeffrey Huang
Assistants:
Alexandre Roger Charles Sadeghi, Ga In Sim
Infos
Year:
2025
Period:
Y3 (BA), Y1 (MA), Fall
Category:
Semester Project
Topic:  
Architecture, Landscape, Representation, Technology, Urban study, Environment, Sustainability
Copyright:
CC BY Licence
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