DR Koncerthuset is a cultural institution in the northern part of Ørestad. Part of an intriguing urban renewal area in Copenhagen, with well-known projects placed head-to-head along the verdant and lush canal. At one end stand the facilities of the concert house, an 11-story building (one of four in the complex), designed by French architect Jean Nouvel in 2009.

“The house had been a myriad of culture, but when interiors were readdressed after a decade in use, the house realised more dynamism was needed in the areas between the studios and halls. The concert house got behind a purposeful re-activation strategy and Kilo design was commissioned, making the case that more informal use of the foyer would improve the quality of the total experience. “The ambition was to stimulate a larger cohesion between the time spent before and after the concerts,” says Jonas Hartz, social design specialist and creative advisor to DR Koncerthuset.

To change the dynamics in the entrance hall from a mere ‘transport room’ to a social experience could stitch the halls with its cultural and experiential context. “In the first brainstorm around the space we discussed a bar with standing and sitting options, in that way we would create layers in the typology,” Hartz explains, “but the Ø sofa configuration has solved that multiple layered effects naturally. People are utilising the space, sitting and standing in a most organic way, without the traditional bar setting.”

Read more via plusHalle