Nikolaj Kunsthal

(2021) Nikolaj Plads 10, 1067 København K

Nikolaj Kunsthal is an exhibition space for contemporary art in the heart of Copenhagen. The art gallery is located in the old Sct. Nicolai Church, dating back to the 13th century.

atelier axo was given the responsibility of rethinking the gallery’s entrance area with new display furniture and counter including an integrated working desk. The meeting between old and new, the church and the contemporary art, formed the concept for the project. The modern and rigid steel shelving systems stand in contrast to the patinated old whitewashed walls and wooden load-bearing beams in the ceiling. The counter repeats the rhythm from the ceiling in a humble yet prominent black-stained wooden construction.

The two big display shelves are made of stainless steel and have different sizes of openings that makes it possible to display various book formats. At the bottom of the shelf, locked cabinets are placed for storage.

The counter is made in black-stained pinewood with wooden slats and a brushed stainless steel table top. The counter is made in two separate pieces, a section that works as a high tabletop for serving visitors and another part that functions as a lower working desk.