The Swan: Redefining architecture through circular principles
The Swan in Gladsaxe is a pioneering example of circular construction and the world’s first eco-labelled kindergarten. Designed by Lendager, the institution is built using upcycled materials from the former Gladsaxe School and by repurposing resources, the project reduced waste by 66% and minimised CO2 emissions by 1,8 tons, demonstrating how circular principles can shape more sustainable architecture.
Where circular construction meets architectural heritage
The Swan sets a new benchmark for circular construction and demolition, while preserving architectural heritage by transforming materials from the former Gladsaxe School into a modern daycare institute. Through mapping, sorting, and reuse, key elements such as crushed concrete, bricks, roof tiles, façade panels, wooden rafters, and reclaimed wood have been repurposed, reducing waste and lowering CO2 emissions. The result is a building that not only minimises environmental impact but also demonstrates the potential of circular principles in contemporary architecture.
By reusing materials, the Swan becomes more than a sustainable daycare but a building with a story. By embracing existing materials such as steel façade elements from the 1960s, wooden rafters, and roof tiles, it allows the spirit of the former school to live in a new form. In the main entrance hall, reclaimed wooden rafters shape the heart of the daycare -the orangery. In the centre of the orangery, the original schoolyard clock connects past and present, while the former observatory now serves as a playhouse. These elements carry the story of the old school, giving the building its own unique spirit.
The Swan is the result of close collaboration between Gladsaxe Municipality, the Property Center, Tscherning, and consultants Lendager, Niras, and Sweco. Their commitment to circular principles and high ambitions have been crucial to the project’s success. As a recognition of its sustainable design, The Swan is the world’s first circular daycare institution to receive the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. The Danish Building Association has also recognised the project’s approach as an exemplary model for circularity.
Photo credit all images: Rasmus Hjortshøj
About Lendager
Lendager was founded in 2011, a Danish-Icelandic architecture and innovation company with the purpose of accelerating sustainable architecture. Lendager enables the green transition in and around the built environment through architecture, urban planning, strategic and material innovation. The firm’s work is characterised by curiosity, imagination and experience that question current construction practice.