Nordhavn sends a textile message
Few other districts in Copenhagen have altered so emphatically in recent years as has Nordhavn, an erstwhile industrial port which has since morphed into one of the capital’s trendiest working and residential areas. Danish textiles icon Kvadrat opened a flagship store in Nordhavn as many as eight years ago. Now the two brothers have given the premises a complete makeover: “Our new showroom is a symbol of the journey we have been on during this period: as Kvadrat, our long-term collaboration with Ronan and Erwan, and the transformation of this vibrant area (...),” says Njusja de Gier, Vice President Branding & Communication of Kvadrat.
The focus on materiality is the key idea behind the concept, Erwan Bouroullec explains. The showroom is intended to provide an ideal stage over the renouncement of color of the diverse textiles of Kvadrat. The solution: “No colors, just materials.” Where building materials were not left in their natural colors, they were given a white hue. A prime example: the two brick walls running parallel through the enormous open space which were painted white. They are topped with transparent glass screens that effectively separate the offices from the warehouse spaces and presentation areas for products.
In order to show off Kvadrat textiles to great advantage, a means of presenting large swathes of material and rugs was also needed. The Bouroullecs came up with heavy-duty shelving and a suspension system consisting of anodized aluminum sections and height-adjustable rails. Many of the interior fittings were custom-made for the showrooms. In addition, numerous furniture items by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are to be found in the showroom, such as the “Alcove” sofa, the “Belleville” chair and the “Tyde” and “Cyl” tables (all of them created for Vitra). Furniture from the Palissade Collection for Hay was installed in the outdoor spaces.
