House of Architects, Copenhagen, Denmark



Architect
3XN
Date Built
1996
Location
Strandgarde, Christianshavn
Description
The House of Architects occupies a site in Christianshavn facing on to Strandgarde and backing onto the site of an old dry dock.  The building is occupied by the Architect’s Association and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The 3XN website says of it that, "The building consists of three elements: An elevated concrete 'log' towards the street, Strandgade, and a wooden shrine towards the harbor front, both embraced by a glass vitrine. The concrete  'log' houses the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the wooden shrines houses the Architect’s Association. Thus the architecture marks the different identity of the two organizations. ... Inside the building these two elements are separated by a panoptic, tall and slim room, where a steel grid carries staircases, footbridges and elevators. The staircases have references to the ships, which used to lie in the old dock. In front of the building towards the harbor front a water basin is landscaped, thus marking the place, where the slipway used to be, and at the same time reflecting the building.  ...


... Based on the users' wishes the offices were furnished with a mixture of solid partition walls, glass walls and flexible elements. A series of bookcases and desks were designed specifically for the building by 3XN."

Close Window