The housing project consists of a new building in the shape of an infill in the otherwise old street of Nansensgade - established in 1872, and one of the most vibrant café and restaurant areas in today’s inner Copenhagen. The compact infill holds nine small apartments for less resourceful and socially vulnerable young citizens, who, as part of a rehabilitation program, is given the opportunity to live alone for the first time in a safe environment with close contact to care staff.
The building site is only 10 meters wide, but this physical limitation of the architecture is turned into a design quality, as only two apartments on each floor gives the young inhabitants a sense of privacy, while also giving them the security of being part of a community. Each apartment has its own kitchen and a bathroom along with a niche for relaxing while enjoying the view of one of Copenhagen’s most vibrant streets. A roof terrace at the 6th floor incorporates difference in height between the surrounding buildings, and provide the inhabitants with a private outdoor space.
All the apartments are located facing Nansensgade, where the ground is largest. By placing apartments with windows to the south and east, optimal use of the daylight is made. In order to protect introvert residents against the view from the street, the building is made with closed gabled bay windows with floor to ceiling windows on the sides giving an exciting look down the vibrant street of Nansensgade. This solution shields both the residents and the neighbors from having a direct view to each other.
At the same time, however, the panoramic view of the streets opens up the one-bedroom apartments and provides another sense of light and spaciousness. French balconies in the large glass sections in the façade line of the house opens up the façade at street level. The result of this overall grip is apartments being both introvert and outgoing at the same time.
Furthermore, Youth Housing Nansensgade stands out with an outgoing and welcoming edge zone with the possibility of establishing a public bicycle repair shop with access from Nansensgade. Next to the entrance of the repair shop, a sitting niche, offering the by passers a stay in the sun, has been established making the ground floor of the Youth Housing contribute to the lively edge zone characterizing Nansensgade.
Outside, the facade is clad in coppery warm toned aluminum. To incorporate the relief motive of the façade into the surrounding built environment, the protruding elements align with the horizontal markings and cornices of the neighboring buildings.
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