Hiroshi Sambuichi Transforms Copenhagen Cistern into Subterranean Art Experience

Japanese architect Hiroshi Sambuichi has created 'The Water', an installation inside a historic cistern in Copenhagen, Denmark. The work is described as a journey through an underground sea of light and darkness, extending the adjacent Søndermarken park into a surreal subterranean environment. Using minimal elements—vegetation, water, light, a transparent cubic structure, and a pier inspired by the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island—Sambuichi transformed the cistern's challenging conditions (constant water flow, high humidity, 17-second echo, complete absence of sunlight) into an ideal context for his project. Astrid La Cour, director of Frederiksberg Museums, noted that Sambuichi immediately understood the site's peculiarities. The installation is open to the public until February 2, 2018, with hours varying by season: closing at 3 PM in winter and 8 PM in summer.