Grunwalds Have is a building with 223 small apartments - including 56 social youth housing units - as well as good communal facilities and a rehearsal stage for Østre Gasværk, which draws the creative environment right into the urban residential environment. The building is located on the edge of Østerbro's neighbourhood, the large playing fields and urban city life.
Copenhagen
Denmark
AP Pension, Boligselskabet AKB, Østre Gasværk
2024
17 000 ㎡
Nordic Swan Ecolabel
UrbanLab, Artelia
Competition work, architectural advice, local plan, sketching, design, supervision and adaptation
Insight to the rehearsal stage
By locating the studio apartments close to Østre Gasværks Theatre's rehearsal stage, the interaction between the area's young residents and the cultural institution is strengthened. The block's generally good communal facilities also promote a sense of community and encourage positive interaction between residents. A shared terraced space invites both informal meetings and smaller cultural events.
The rehearsal stage is designed with large glass sections that create transparency and invite passers-by to follow the theatre's activities. This open architecture allows the theatre to actively interact with the surrounding urban environment, but of course the possibility of shielding the stage when the rehearsal situation requires it has been considered.
"Grunwalds Have is a building full of life, and I think we've managed to create a facade that both matches the location and enriches the cityscape. The brickwork creates a dynamic relief, and the characteristic window openings ensure plenty of light for the young residents."
A warm and dynamic facade
The brickwork in Grunwalds Have is a central architectural feature. The facades are made of warm yellow brick that varies in colour and texture, giving the building a vibrant and textured look. The detailed brickwork with banding and relief effects adds depth and craftsmanship. The interplay between the texture of the brick, the light-coloured concrete and the green elements from the balconies and courtyards creates a harmonious whole, where materiality and planting support the experience of a green and welcoming living environment.
In Grunwald's Garden, youth housing is woven together with cultural life
The new apartments will be established in connection with a modernised and multifunctional rehearsal stage for Østre Gasværks Theatre. The construction will provide Copenhagen with more much-needed youth housing and apartments for small households who want to live close to the city centre with good opportunities to use the local sports facilities and cultural offerings. In terms of expression, the homes are an extension of the future open blocks in the local area, while the rehearsal stage is linked to the theatre's freestanding characteristic volumes.
Large courtyard weaves functions together
The theatre's existing car parks are grouped together on two floors under the youth housing, in a landscaped plinth. A large staircase connects the courtyard of the plinth with the street and the entrance to the theatre, and opens up the possibility of using the staircase as seating for outdoor performances.
The form of the theatre sets it apart from the youth housing, but the functions are woven together around the large courtyard space, with opportunities for seating on a series of stairs and small multi-level squares, which also connect the building's residences via the undulating green roof.
A sensory courtyard with robust materials and plants
The outdoor areas at Grunwalds Have are conceived as a lush, sensuous courtyard that binds the development together and invites people to stay, play and socialise. A hilly terrain with grasses, perennials and trees creates variation and intimate spaces, while paths and terraces connect the different zones. Along the facades, green planters and wooden elements create small living spaces with a semi-private character. To the west, the courtyard opens up with a wide staircase that serves as both a seating area and arrival zone and creates a visual and physical connection to the surrounding urban life at Østre Gasværk.
