Architects
Transformation/ Architecture/: Pihlmann Architects; Interior: Sara Martinsen
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
Opening
2025
Solution
Tonica 2, Hallingdal 65, and Hero Heather are specified on diverse furniture. Hallingdal 65 and Hero 2 are also used to upholster cushions. Curtains crafted from Time 300 and Divina 3 contribute to privacy and acoustic separation in various spaces.
Thoravej 29 is a community and home for 38 organizations in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the building was renovated following the guiding principle that the building should reuse itself. The award-winning venue integrates materials and furniture sourced from the original building and from domestically sourced wood. Several of the pieces are upholstered in Kvadrat textiles, and the space also includes Kvadrat curtains.
During the light demolition phase of the project, the architects recovered materials, many of which were made from wood and MDF. Subsequently, they collaborated with Convert to transform these ‘waste’ materials into boards that visibly reflect their ingredients and shed light on the building's former life: shards of wood from old doors and door frames, along with chips of paint from doors dating back to the 1960s.
Isabella Priddle, Architect MAA “Once we came across Convert, we were excited to partner with a company that had the capacity to produce large quantities of board material domestically that were consistent and stable, allowing them to be used at a large scale in Thoravej. We worked closely with Convert in development meetings and on a test day, pushing the boundaries of the size of granule within each board”
Second-hand pieces were purchased to be used alongside the furniture created with the board. They are upholstered in Tonica 2, which is also specified on sofa modules and the armchairs. Diverse chairs covered in Hallingdal 65 and Hero Heather complement these elements.
Sara Martinsen, furniture designer and consultant “The strategy for both the building and the interior project was to reuse as much as possible. This included purchasing as little newly produced furniture as possible. New furniture was only added to the project if a certain functionality was required and the furnitures had to be produced in geographical proximity to Denmark.”
Elsewhere, large cushions in the entrance area are upholstered in Hallingdal 65, while loose cushions for chairs in Hero Heather.
The textiles are employed in a way that aligns with a conscious construction approach: the guiding idea is to reveal how the pieces are built and what materials they are made from.
Isabella Priddle, Architect MAA “From the beginning of the project, we knew we needed curtains in the project. In the transformation, we opened up large sections of each floor. While bringing light and transparency to the building, this also created a need to provide privacy in certain areas, to block sunlight and to have some sort of textile that has acoustic properties.”
Curtains crafted from Time 300 define the quality of space in glass-walled meeting rooms by creating softness and privacy while allowing light in. Divina 3 curtains, made from 100% wool and chosen to match the building’s philosophy, are installed in other areas to offer greater privacy and acoustic separation.
Thoravej 29 has been recognised with a DGNB Gold certification from the Danish Council for Sustainable Building in autumn 2023 and a Building Award from Licitationen for Building of the Year in autumn 2024. The building has also received Renoverprisen 2025.