The Carlsberg Group's new central office provides the framework for a modern and dynamic workplace, where the intention has been to design a building that creates identity, knowledge sharing and innovation.
At the same time it has been important that the building stands in harmony with its surroundings and has the aesthetic quality that characterises Carlsberg as a company.
The building is located in the northwest corner of Carlsberg Byen, in Copenhagen, where one of the three wings of the building forms a bridge over one of the quarter's main access routes, J. C. Jacobsens Gade, while the other two wings embrace Carl Jacobsen's historic garden and villa.
The building's central space, the atrium, opens onto Carl Jacobsen's Garden overlooking Carlsberg Byen, where the long history of Carlsberg as a brewery business began and where it is still unfolding. The ground floor is open to customers and business partners, and with the atrium serving as a welcoming space, it is inviting and open to its surroundings. The atrium penetrates all the floors of the building, and around the atrium on each floor, there is a communal area where the company's employees can meet. In this way, the atrium gathers all the office sections, both vertically and horizontally, so that all the departments are experienced as one single working community, reinforcing collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation .
The façade consists of large glass panels, that are rhythmically divided by vertical copper-covered slats. The copper makes one think back to the old copper brew kettles and at the same time references the fine copper detailing on many of the historic buildings in Carlsberg Byen.
The building is adapted to the historical surroundings and the scale of the site, by tapering the height down towards the smaller surrounding houses and Carl Jacobsen's Villa, and by designing the façade with recesses. The result is a building that gently fits and stands in beautiful harmony with its surroundings.
The building is a sustainable construction with durable solutions, built in natural materials with a long lifespan. The façade slats, for example, are coated with recycled copper and the building is built according to Copenhagen Municipality's 2020 building class.