Spacon designs "practical and inviting" welcome pavilion for Copenhagen's Rosenborg Castle
Danish studio Spacon has completed a welcome pavilion for Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, featuring a multifunctional table with hidden pull-out display drawers and decorated stools.
Spacon was tasked by the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces to renovate the interiors of the historic pavilion and give it a new purpose as a space for welcoming visitors to Rosenborg Castle.
Originally built as a summer house for the Danish royal family in 1606, the castle is today used as a museum for the Royal Danish Collection, including the Danish crown jewels.
The pavilion is situated on one of the main paths in the surrounding King's Garden and is intended as a visible marker where visitors can gather and engage with a curated selection of objects from the collection.
"It had to work both practically and atmospherically as a place for ticketing, storytelling and guided tours, but also something that feels inviting and immediate," said Spacon founding partner Malene Hvidt.
The compact building was originally used as a public toilet but had sat disused for many years. The Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces restored the exterior, while Spacon focused on adapting the interior, using the existing proportions as a framework.
"For us, it was interesting to work with something so small in scale, but with such a strong context and historical legacy," Hvidt told Dezeen.
"Those are often the projects where small decisions and details really matter, and where you can create something that people connect with quite directly."
The main element within the space is the central table, which was informed by the octagonal shape of Rosenborg Castle's stair tower, as well as the surrounding Renaissance-style gardens.
Spacon collaborated with carpentry studio Gilbert Gilbert to develop the table, which was made using solid cherry wood planks that bring a sense of warmth and tactility to the space.
The table can transform from a monolithic gathering point into an exhibition space by pulling out integrated stools and extending drawers to reveal storage and display surfaces.
The stools are decorated with carved reliefs depicting Rosenborg's recognisable emblem and the building itself, while shelves and cupboards lining the walls feature details informed by elements of the facade.
The focus on handicrafts throughout the project aligns with Rosenborg's commitment to preserving and promoting the cultural value of craftsmanship.
In order to highlight the pavilion's key architectural elements and create an appropriate atmosphere, the architects opted for a traditional colour palette that is used to frame openings and articulate space.
The colours also help to enhance the tactile qualities of the materials, while subtle tonal shifts improve the space's legibility and a consistent datum supports orientation.
The transformation of this compact, heritage-listed structure involved respecting and building upon the pavilion's existing scale and symmetry while introducing contemporary interventions that add small moments of discovery.
"I have always been fascinated by these small, iconic pavilions in the King's Garden," claimed Hvidt. "They have a particular presence, almost like small wunderkammers, holding many layers and stories within a very compact space."
"For us, the project was about creating a space that feels accessible and human in scale, a place you encounter in passing but that draws you in and hopefully makes you want to stay a little bit longer."
Spacon works on projects ranging in scale from objects to spatial design and brand identities, applying an approach that foregrounds narrative, material and function in pursuit of unexpected outcomes.
The studio's previous work includes an exhibition design aimed at translating digital actions into architectural space, as well as a car dealership featuring a cave carved out of cardboard.
The photography is by David Stjernholm.
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