The project
The red brick buildings are emblematic for Copenhagen and dotted all over the city with its striking mix of historic and contemporary architecture. The beautiful and imposing 1912 Neo-Baroque building housing Villa Copenhagen, originally the Central Post Office, will soon rise to its former glory as a new destination
for conscious luxury. A world-class hotel that brings together the best of the past and the future, with the greatest of Danish design, but with a larger outlook on Europe and beyond. A story of historic context, sustainable luxury and contrast runs throughout the 25,000 sqm project that has three design studios working on different parts of the interiors, each giving their creative vision of the Villa.
The courtyard
The courtyard will be a social hub and multiuse space for different scenarios: the reception area, a city square-like café, an inner garden room for relaxed seating and a pop-up retail space. “We want to create a space that becomes a destination. Inspiration comes from the historical center of Copenhagen and its charming, old streets. The center of the courtyard is, with its lush trees and greens, a nod to Glyptoteket’s winter garden. References to old details in the building itself can be found in the new design as well – for example we’ve reintegrated a rococo ornament from the grand staircase,” says Olga Krukovskaya interior designer at Shamballa. The Marble Bridge with its darkly patinated Gjellebaæk marble and the limestone of Christiansborg influenced the architectural palette of the lobby. The color palette is characterized by
earthy hues, with touches of saffron, terracotta and burnt orange, inspired by some of the old Copenhagen buildings, such as the ochre facades by Nyboder. The design also includes a rich variety of natural stone, including pieces reminiscent of Shamballa’s precious jewels.
The old boardroom
This is one of the most preserved rooms in the building with ornamented ceiling, mahogany wall paneling, tapestry and crystal chandeliers. It will be converted into an intimate bar and multipurpose lounge to host jewellery viewings, intimate chamber music concerts, lectures and private dining. “The most dominant feature of the room, besides the ceiling, is the tapestry. For this project we developed a custom tapestry to serve as backdrop for the new bar. The inspiration comes from the first original Verdure tapestry — tapestry decorated with a design based on plant forms - of this room, which we recovered from the archives.”
Shamballa Suite
The former corner office of the director of the Central Post Building will be turned into the Shamballa Suite. It has beautiful stucco ceilings and wall paneling that will be kept. The rest is being re-imagined by Mads and Mikkel Kornerup, founders of Shamballa Jewels. “Shamballa means ‘a place of peace and tranquility’ in sanskrit. We always had a dream of translating that atmosphere into a hospitality project. The suite is characterized by a meeting between rough and refined materials that create a strong first impression. The color palette of the suite can be described as dark and earthy, with stone-colored leathers,
luxurious marble surfaces and rough, stuccoed walls that define the space.”
The brasserie
With a vision to create destination restaurants and bars that introduce something new to Copenhagen, at the same time as it honors the Scandinavian design sensibility. Unique and informal venues that each offer something extraordinary. The brasserie faces town and is designed to be a buzzy all-day restaurant. “It channels mid-century Danish design and juxtaposes the past and the present with contemporary interpretation. Central to the scheme is a large, open kitchen and bar providing theatre and all-day interaction,” says Jo Littlefair, director at London-based Goddard Littlefair. “We put a lot of effort into understanding how Danes dine and socialize – Villa Copenhagen has to be a place where you can live life like a local. Sustainability is also key in this project. We have reused lots of original items discovered in warehouses. Doors have been re-hung and brass grills and door handles have been reinstated. The majority of the original copper stripped from the roof has been reimagined as wall cladding in the Brasserie and other parts of the hotel. The Brasserie has a nostalgic palette of warm orange, navy blue and white paneling.
The playroom
These spaces will be converted into a cozy wine bar and a restaurant with a bold color palette to counter the strong heritage elements. Original timber paneling, beautifully crafted doors and marble columns all remain. Purples, pinks, dark red, blue and olive and heavily patterned rugs and slightly oriental fabric to complement the eclectic furniture selection.
The breakfast room
Placed on the lower ground floor, adjacent to a set of railway tracks, it used to be the sorting room of the post building. “We discovered old photographs from when it was a working sorting room. The mail was taken off the trains and into the room, before being loaded onto horses for distribution. This inspired the design process. We were able to reference original archways and paneling, transforming the space into a flexible restaurant space. We also introduced a bakery to provide fresh bread for the hotel and as well as locals. We have reinterpreted many of the original features in contemporary materials, juxtaposing historical references in a unique style. For example, freestanding raw copper arches are positioned where original stone and timber arches would have been. The material palette focuses towards an industrial
palette of rich yellow bricks, grey expose ducting, tan and grey upholstery. A mix of walnut and oak in joinery to reference traditional Danish furniture manufacture.”
The pool deck
The 25 meters lap pool will be situated on the roof of the Villa, a relaxed and colorful haven that includes a bar. Copper from the roof has been used to clad the bar front.
Guest rooms
The Villa houses 390 rooms spread over 4 floors. There’s a wealth of room types, which is part of the charm of the Villa. Some with 4 meters ceiling height and 3.6 meters high windows, some are under the attic with roof-lights and exposed timber beams. The design reflects this, which is unusual for a large hotel, with every room being a treated as an individual, emphasizing its original character. “Our vision is to complete a design that is unashamedly beautiful, feels good to be in, delights in its historic context, but which is also built for now and the future,” says Richard McConkey, interior architect at award-winning, London-based architecture and design studio, Universal Design Studio. ”It was hard not to feel inspired when we first viewed the building, with its beautiful façade and grand windows. There’s such quality of light in Copenhagen. We were very inspired by the paintings of Wilhelm Hammershøi (who was based just a few miles from the hotel in a residence of a similar period) and his sense of quiet poetry, beauty and experience of light. We tried to create a series of rooms that captured this sense: calming, beautiful, deep, of real quality, being both timeless and forward-looking.” Considering the beautiful exterior one would expect there to be many period features, but very little remain in the interior. “Our approach was to first restore the interior, forensically mapping a series of original period features found elsewhere in the building, then reinstalling window surrounds, paneling, cornices, architraves and doors that feel right for this building and a residence of that period. We then went on to design custom furniture and lighting that feel both contemporary and classic, and mixed with these reissued and customized pieces, furniture, art and objects commissioned from a range of periods, which feels relevant to how people live today.” “Much of our design choices came from responding to the building, the light, the work of Hammershøi, and the many beautiful buildings of Copenhagen. We’ve developed a series of color stories for the rooms that pick up on themes within the building – the copper of the roof, the tones of the brickwork, the richness and craft of classic Danish furniture, which is rightly known worldwide, so there was a wealth of options, but we’ve tried to create a unique mix”.
