Copenhagen Converts Historic Press into Creative Hub
A historic printing press in Copenhagen, Bogtrykkeriet Otto Mønsteds Gade, has been transformed into a multi-user creative business hub. The project exemplifies the city's strategy of adaptive reuse, clustering creative enterprises within buildings of historical significance. This model of creative placemaking is seen as a template for urban centers looking to foster innovation while preserving architectural heritage.
- The building was originally designed by architect Julius Therchilsen in the "Skønvirke" style, a Danish iteration of Art Nouveau that blended Jugendstil elements with a picturesque and asymmetrical composition. It was established in 1916 as Denmark's most modern printing house. - The property is now managed by P+, the Pension Fund for Academics, as part of a strategic shift towards alternative real estate investments to enhance the fund's value. The transformation was a project by P+ Pension and the real estate company Thylander. - The renovation, led by Forma Studio, focused on reviving the building's industrial spirit. This involved reintroducing historical design elements, highlighting its past as a printing press through interior design, and adopting sustainable practices by reusing materials wherever possible. - Before its current form, the building was known as "Fondenes Hus" and was managed by the Bikuben Foundation, housing a consortium of foundations and other prominent publications. - This project is part of a larger trend of adaptive reuse in Copenhagen, which includes the transformation of a former grain silo into "The Silo" apartment complex and the conversion of numerous warehouses in the Nordhavn and Holmen districts into residences and offices. - The renovation plan extends to the building's outdoor space, with proposals to demolish existing structures to create a more recreational courtyard for tenants, featuring flexible furniture and atmospheric lighting. - Initially, there was a plan to reserve the renovated space for the police, but this changed, leading to the new strategy of developing it into a multi-user hub for creative businesses.
