Picnic Under a Wooden Roof: Modular Electric Charging Station by Cobe

The most striking characteristic of the station is the wooden roof construction whose basic module is reminiscent of a tree: each support comprises eight glulam elements. Cantilevered beams have been mounted onto these supports to form a square “tree canopy” above. Depending on the situation, these modules can be put together to form larger or smaller canopies. Each roof features triangular areas, some of which are closed and provide shelter and shade, while others are open to the sky and allow daylight to fall onto certain spots. Photovoltaic panels can be placed on the planted roofs in order to feed electricity to the charging stations.

According to the architects’ concept, these stations will not only be for cars; travellers will be able to recharge their own batteries too. Therefore, the charging stations will offer seating in green surroundings along with electricity for vehicles.

For this commission to create infrastructure for clean energy, the architects fittingly concentrated on sustainable building techniques such as the exclusive use of certified materials. Furthermore, all the components can be disassembled and reused.

Altogether, 48 electric charging stations are to be set up on Scandinavian highways according to this concept. The first opened in summer 2019 in the Danish city of Fredericia (see DETAIL 2021/1-2). In 2020, more stations appeared in Aarhus and on the Knudshoved peninsula respectively (see photos below). While the canopy in Fredericia consists of twelve modules with an area measuring around 400 m2, the other two stations were built as free-standing single modules.