Future drinking water supply for KLAR Forsyning in Køge

Climate-resilient waterworks revealing the water cycle

Managing extreme rainfall while securing drinking water supply

Køge Waterworks combines drinking water production with public engagement in one integrated facility. Designed to handle increasing climate pressures, the project protects water resources during extreme weather while making the treatment process visible and accessible. The result is a future-proof solution that secures supply and strengthens awareness of water as a critical resource.

The AFRY Architects team served as lead consultant for the architectural framework of the future drinking water supply for KLAR Forsyning in Køge. The facility integrates a new waterworks and a public test center in a single, transparent building, located at the highest point of the site.

Designing critical infrastructure requires balancing strict operational demands with the need for accessibility. At Køge Waterworks, security and reliability are combined with openness, allowing the facility to function both as essential infrastructure and as a place for public insight.

Designing for stormwater management

Stormwater management is integrated directly into the architectural design, addressing increasing rainfall and ensuring robust water handling.

A large, sloping roof directs rainwater toward the lower part of the site, where an existing lake has been expanded into a rainwater basin. During extreme weather events, the basin also receives surface water from the surrounding terrain, ensuring effective handling of excess water and safeguarding the facility.

Industrial water treatment tanks inside Køge Waterworks facility

Making water treatment visible

All functions are organized to be clearly visible from both inside and outside the building, supporting operational clarity and providing insight into the treatment process. This approach improves both efficiency and understanding of how the system operates.

By exposing rather than concealing technical processes, the design makes complex infrastructure accessible. Transparency becomes a functional quality, not just an architectural expression.

Exterior of Køge Waterworks with rainwater channels and landscaped basin

From rainwater to drinking water

The test center brings visitors close to the full journey of water – from rainwater to groundwater to clean drinking water. Each stage of the process is made tangible, helping to explain how water is collected, treated, and distributed.

This transforms the facility into more than infrastructure. It becomes a platform for learning and awareness, highlighting water as a limited and essential resource.

Conceived as an outward-facing utility, the facility engages with both its users and its surroundings. It creates attractive workplaces while delivering safe and reliable water treatment.

At the same time, it contributes to the local community by increasing awareness of water management and climate challenges, positioning the waterworks as both infrastructure and a public asset.

A resilient and future-proof solution

Køge Waterworks combines advanced technology with architectural clarity to deliver a resilient and future-proof solution. Climate adaptation, operational transparency, and public accessibility are integrated into a single, cohesive design.