Enter a converted penthouse by David Thulstrup, located on a sought-after street in Copenhagen; Vester Voldgade.
Vester Voldgade in Copenhagen is one of the city’s most iconic streets, running through the old town, past Copenhagen City Hall Square to the waterfront. It’s here where you’ll find one of David Thulstrup’s most recent projects; a 150 sqm top floor apartment given a significant refresh for a client who specified a bright and spacious home. By gutting the entire interior, including the attic above the previous home, David Thulstrup has paved the way for a contemporary, loft-like apartment with subtle references to the building’s past life.
The living room features the Font Bold Lounge Chair with Armrest, designed by David Thulstrup for Mobel Copenhagen.
“My favourite feature is the dining nook with a built-in bench and upholstered cushions in creamy natural leather,” David Thulstrup says.
The open-plan kitchen features David Thulstrup’s latest design for Danish kitchen manufacturers Reform, clad in brushed aluminium. The kitchen features architecture downlights by ONE A, while the dining nook features the ARV Dining Chair and custom pendant light, both designed by David.
The owner reached out to the multidisciplinary design practice after experiencing their vision for the Noma restaurant, enamoured by the application of local natural materials throughout the space. To recreate the design of this restaurant on a smaller scale, David Thulstrup began by introducing the same Dinesen Heart Oak planks and locally-sourced Bornholm granite, enhancing the home’s emphasis on space and natural light.
Catering to the client’s specific request for a light-filled home, founder and creative director David Thulstrup transformed the attic space into a double-height living area, where exposed rafters are a nod to the home’s heritage. “By opening up the volumes of the living spaces both vertically and horizontally and using quality materials, I reintroduced a feeling of calmness and balance into a space that was marked by low ceilings and limited natural light,” David explains.
Further intensifying this sense of openness, original arched windows are elongated and internal walls were removed, providing the home with a newfound sense of height.
“It felt necessary to implement a neutral colour scheme to create volume and enhance all the historic features, such as the rough timber beams.”
– David Thulstrup
A spiral staircase in glass-blasted steel adds an industrial edge to the home and leads up to the reading nook and roof terrace overlooking the city.
The open-plan kitchen features David Thulstrup’s latest design for Copenhagen-based kitchen manufacturers Reform, clad in brushed aluminium. An adjacent dining nook with recessed banquette seating maximises space in the compact home, featuring the ARV Dining Chair and custom pendant light, both designed by David Thulstrup. A wall of timber bi-fold doors grants access to the terrace, acting as a natural extension of the dining space and integrating both indoor and outdoor spaces.
A spiral staircase in glass-blasted steel adds an industrial edge and leads up to the reading nook and roof terrace overlooking the city. “It’s a striking yet thoughtful sculptural gesture that ties together the two floors,” David says. “The special finishing interacts with the abundance of light in a way that creates beautiful reflections with dashes of green, pink and blue.”
Through a series of courageous architectural interventions and a refreshed neutral interior palette, David Thulstrup have breathed new life into this century-old apartment.
The bedroom features the Roy Wall Light by Mario Nanni for Viabizzuno.
