Key projects
Designing with nature
Through 2023, Ramboll and Henning Larsen continued to work closely on innovative designs with timber and other materials inspired by nature, helping connect people and infrastructure with their surrounding environments. That has resulted in two striking project wins reflecting our strengths in architectural design and mass-timber engineering.
The first is Prague Central Station, Nový Hlavák, and the surrounding Vrchlického Sady Park, which we are transforming into a welcoming gateway to Czechia’s capital city.
The new station prioritises low-emission transport by connecting three transit hubs into one destination with better pedestrian flows. The aim is to make public transit and travel by foot and bike the most desirable modes of transport, supporting Prague’s ambitions to lower the city’s carbon emissions.
“The station aims to redefine the very idea of what a daily commute can be, making it not just a journey but an experience that adds value to people’s lives.”
Central to the design is a large, open-roof timber canopy that unifies the park, central station, and the communal transport centre.
The park itself will be revitalised and divided into recreational spaces while enhancing biodiversity through the preservation of trees and planting of new vegetation. The landscape will also include measures to improve climate resilience, such as stormwater management.
llustration: KVANT-1
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, BESTSELLER’s logistics centre on the island of Flevopolder is also designed with nature in mind.
The structure will be built primarily of mass timber and other biogenic materials, such as straw. The surrounding wetland and forest will be integrated into the construction, and a meadow will be cultivated on the roof to increase the site’s biodiversity by 10%.
“Our commitment to preserving and enhancing the natural environment goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about fostering ecological variety and creating a sustainable ecosystem. With over 40% of the site dedicated to its landscape, we are not just building a logistics centre, we are nurturing an environment that thrives with diverse native species, wetlands, and green spaces,” says Sonja Stockmarr, Global Design Director of Landscape, Henning Larsen.
The logistics hub will include offices, shuttle storage, pallet shuttle, and a restaurant with a roof garden and terrace, providing ample space in the surrounding nature for employees and visitors.
Adapting to climate change
The effects of climate change were evident in 2023, as the world faced a series of extreme weather events. Flooding is among the leading climatic threats to human life, causing widespread damage across cities and regions. With climate change as a looming threat, it is more important than ever to prioritise climate change adaptation strategies and actions in the upcoming years.
We work on providing innovative insights and solutions that reduce the risk of flooding and increase liveability. We address risks by designing and implementing solutions that serve multiple purposes, such as increasing recreational opportunities, improving social cohesion, and protecting biodiversity.
A good example of these efforts is seen in the region of Kolding, Denmark. Home to 90,000 people, the city faced a significant challenge as excess rainwater from cloudburst and heavy rains posed a severe flood risk to its historic city centre.
Rainwater from the nearby residential area, Brændkjær, was especially problematic, and Ramboll was tasked by our client BlueKolding to help the region with climate adaptation efforts to make the area more resilient to flooding.
“Brændkjær Klimapark significantly reduces the flood-risk of the city centre, and the blue-green park design protects local biodiversity while also inviting for social interaction. We are very proud of the project and happy with the way Ramboll, as well as the other partners, have helped drive the process forward in a highly involving and collaborative spirit.”
We designed and implemented blue-green solutions to divert the rainwater from Brændkjær into a separate water system and rain beds. These solutions not only managed the water flow, but also strengthened biodiversity and outdoor life by creating new recreational areas, such as a new running track that can contain water during cloudbursts.
Sibu city in Sarawak, Malaysia, is also heavily impacted by frequent flooding due its geographical location. The city is situated in a low-lying area near the mouth of the Ranjan River, the longest river in Malaysia.
Heavy rainfall and tide cause the river water to rise and overflow into the surrounding land, damaging buildings, infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods of the people living in the affected areas.
To tackle this complex challenge, the government sought an innovative approach and appointed Ramboll to carry out the Sibu Cloudburst Masterplan. The climate adaptation plan aims to explore and implement the right solutions to make the area resilient to intense rainfalls.
The study consists of three stages, including flood risk assessment, conceptual masterplan and design options, and a schematic masterplan and design for the area.
Climate adaptation is also on the agenda in New York City, which is prone to frequent flooding from cloudbursts and hurricanes, disrupting infrastructure and services.
For these reasons, New York City has announced that it is investing USD 3.5 billion in blue-green infrastructure to enhance liveability and climate change resilience.
Together with nongovernmental organisation Rebuild by Design, Ramboll has launched a report showing that the city can expect a high return on this investment - up to USD 2.09 in socio-economic benefits for every dollar spent.
Blue-green infrastructure solutions, combining engineering, architecture, and landscape designs that make use of parks and nature areas, can help solve challenges related to water in a cost-effective way.
“Investing in mother nature is a win-win against climate change. The more the city transforms from a concrete jungle to a sponge, the more New Yorkers can use and enjoy their city and be sure to stay dry and safe during increased heavy rainfall.”
A benchmark for sustainable refurbishment
Circular principles define the refurbishment of 3 Sheldon Square, a 10-storey commercial office in London, where Ramboll is a key partner for client British Land. Our role has been to enable a standard for sustainable retrofitting with an emphasis on carbon reductions, while creating social value for the building users.
Largely fueled by gas boilers, the building excessively consumed energy that led to a poor energy rating. We applied solutions to improve operational efficiency by over two thirds as compared with a new development in the construction phase.
We also reduced embodied carbon impacts through the retention and reuse of existing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing equipment and materials.
“This is a fantastic example of our sustainability strategy in action, limiting embodied carbon through retaining the original building while delivering best in class space and improving energy efficiency. This fully refurbished scheme is well ahead of our 2030 target of a 25% improvement in whole building energy efficiency and lowers operational costs for our customers.”
Further, a series of hanging balconies will transform the building’s appearance with cascading plants, connecting the office with nature. The chosen plant species supports better climate resilience by helping regulate temperatures during the summer and winter and boosts biodiversity with a 100% net gain compared to pre-development.
The refurbishment is on target to secure a BREEAM Outstanding rating and WELL Building Standard Gold precertification, reflecting a comprehensive commitment to sustainability and occupant well-being.
Credit: Morris+Company
Volunteering to help nature and communities thrive
Ramboll and WWF-India have teamed up to conserve biodiversity and support vulnerable communities in India’s Godavari River Basin.
The initiative is part of Flourish, our global social impact programme, which aims to support underserved groups and communities.
The Godavari Basin is a diverse habitat that covers about 9.5% of India’s total geographical area. Large parts are thickly forested and rich in wildlife, including predators such as tigers, and large herbivores that are their prey. The region is also home to several tribal communities largely dependent on the forests for their livelihoods.
“WWF-India is thrilled to be joining hands with Ramboll to initiate conservation action in the Godavari Landscape. We believe this is a great opportunity to put in place collaborative approaches and seek innovative solutions to protect the biodiversity of the region and secure the well-being of the local communities,” says Yash Shethia, Director, Wildlife & Habitats Programme, WWF-India.
The region offers important opportunities for initiatives in landscape restoration and management towards the long-term well-being of wildlife and people.
We will work on mapping forests to identify and prioritise actions for the recovery of wildlife, including social mapping of forest-dwelling and forest-fringe communities.
Learn more
Supported by the Ramboll Foundation, the project began in October 2023 and with Ramboll employees volunteering in-kind hours.
The first phase will focus on building an ecological and social profile of the region. WWF-India will provide core expertise in biodiversity, landscape, and social surveys, complemented by our expertise in ecology analysis, especially for geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing work.
Learn more about the project in this article and get more insights into our Flourish programme on our website.