The main architectural concept of the Niels Bohr Building (NBB) is based on the vision of consolidating academic environments into open, interconnected communities, creating a building that facilitates the generation of knowledge across organisational frameworks and affiliations. NBB is a scientific and creative environment that brings together teaching and research, institution and society

The Niels Bohr Building is part of the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. The building is located in the University Park between the Copenhagen neighbourhoods Nørrebro and Østerbro, as part of the ‘Nørre Campus’ knowledge district.

NBB is a vibrant place, providing spaces for both activity and contemplation throughout the day, and where users gain a strong sense of being part of a significant, internationally oriented knowledge environment. The building offers users an everyday life and career within a building with spaces ranging from single-person offices to highly specialised laboratories. In communal facilities, such as the ‘Troposphere’, all the users can meet across affiliations and academic backgrounds. The Troposphere is an architectural expression of the concept of a boundless community

The characteristic, prism-shaped facade, gives NBB a highly distinctive identity. A secondary, noise-cancelling building envelope minimises heat loss, and the cavities preheat incoming outside air.

The building itself is divided into two structures connected by a skywalk over Jagtvej. The heavy traffic on this road generates consistent vibrations that could disrupt sensitive research equipment. To counter this, the basement is specially designed as a vibration-free area, ensuring that experiments can be conducted without interference.

Organised into nine vertical units, or ‘towers’, the building accommodates a series of floor plans referred to as modules, and containing offices, laboratories, and support services. Each module is approximately 600 m2, a suitable size for an independent workplace within a larger community. Between the nine towers is another important architectural hallmark for NBB: six characteristic courtyards that begin at ground level and extend all the way up through the building to a height of 28 metres.