Copenhagen values swimming, with residents and tourists alike making use of its waterways. As Danish author Karen Blixen once remarked, “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.” Blixen, who grew up along the coast north of the city, penned the line in 1934, capturing the timeless bond between Danes and the Baltic.
These floating venues have become gathering places for swimmers, divers, and water-polo players, especially when the sun shines bright in the summer. In recent seasons, cold-water plunges have surged in popularity as a method to boost mental clarity and physical resilience, and several winter-swim clubs now pair icy dips with sauna sessions along the quay. The winter-swim clubs have grown so popular that they now keep lengthy waiting lists, reflecting a city-wide enthusiasm for the invigorating practice.
A New Landmark
The historic waterfront will welcome a fresh attraction on 5 December: a public swimming complex conceived by the Japanese design studio Kengo Kuma Associates. The structure, named Kai, occupies roughly 62,500 square feet and houses ten distinct pools, among them an open-air rooftop basin and a heated onsen that looks out over the harbor. Situated on Paper Island — a former food market site that lay empty for years — the complex sits directly opposite Nyhavn and connects the historic centre with the revitalised former shipyard districts of Holmen and Refshaleøen.
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Development of Kai stretched across eight years, with the project delayed by the pandemic and its knock-on effects. The original plan was for a 2021 launch. Once completed, the venue will join an array of architecturally striking buildings that line the water’s edge, such as the contemporary Opera House and the Royal Danish Playhouse.
Design and Features
The interior follows a minimalist aesthetic, spreading water spaces over several levels. On the ground floor, an 82-foot pool serves as the main gathering point, while the first floor hosts outdoor basins that remain warm throughout the year thanks to a sustainable vertical ground-source heat pump system. The first-floor pools stay comfortably warm even during the cold Danish winter.
Visitors will also be able to step directly onto the harbor from the complex, with a timber boardwalk providing designated zones for swimming and casual dipping.
Entry fees are set to remain modest, matching the pricing of other municipal pools where tickets typically cost less than 100 kr (around $10). The facility can accommodate 380 swimmers at full capacity.
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Reaction and Funding
The project’s budget totals 989 million DKK, equivalent to about $150 million, and was financed jointly by the City of Copenhagen and the Nordea Fonden. Copenhagen’s Lord Mayor Sisse Marie Welling voiced her enthusiasm, saying she hopes Kai will become a new gathering point for water-loving Copenhageners and visitors alike.
The concept for a centrally located pool emerged from local surveys in which residents expressed a clear desire for a public swimming venue at the heart of the city. The chosen site on Paper Island has already been transformed, now featuring a mix of restaurants, cafés, and hospitality venues that complement the aquatic facility.
Anyone interested in experiencing Copenhagen’s water culture can begin at the harbor, where several public swimming spots and bathhouses are available. Options include Sandkaj in Nordhavn, Saunanor, and Valby’s Water Culture House, each offering a different blend of swimming lanes and sauna experiences.