Custom-made from floor to ceiling
The contemporary art gallery Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen wanted a new foyer that felt more open and welcoming to visitors. A place where people would want to sit down, meet, explore books, and extend their art experience.
Drawing on the art center’s history, atelier axo has reimagined the foyer’s look and function while respecting its existing character. Working closely with atelier axo, Holmris B8 was responsible for producing the custom-designed furnishings, including the reception desk, signage, mobile book displays, and adjustable bookshelves. The task was to turn the design vision into finished solutions, with careful attention to materials, construction, and details.
Sculptural steel elements and warm wood surfaces
In the new foyer, warm wood surfaces and sculptural steel elements come together with some of the art center’s familiar design classics. Poul Henningsen’s iconic Charlottenborg lamps have been arranged in a new formation that highlights the room’s impressive height. Arne Jacobsen’s Charlottenborg chairs have found their place alongside a nine-meter-long bench made from Dinesen Douglas fir, while custom-designed wooden tables offer a subtle nod to the traditional painter’s chest once used by artists to store brushes and tools.
A new reception desk welcomes visitors and wraps around the corner, continuing into the bookstore as a small reading bench. Here, a large library wall invites visitors to explore art and design books. The shelving system is flexible and can be adjusted to accommodate different formats, from books and postcards to smaller objects. Out in the foyer, two organic, sculptural book displays extend the bookstore into the open space. Their stepped forms create natural focal points in the large, open room.
Look up, and you’ll notice the large, elegant steel sign with the art gallery’s name. Together with the new signage and lighting, the interior makes it easier for visitors to find their way around and creates new possibilities for how the foyer can be used.
The result is a modern, welcoming foyer that respects the building’s history, with flexible furnishings that can adapt to changing needs and an interior that can evolve over time.
Photos: Peter Dalsgaard, PD Studio
