The six-storey-high residential complex of Forskerboligerne is a masterpiece of details that neatly combines a modern attitude with traditional materials.
The building is characterised by oblique yellow bricks that geometrically stand out from the surface, as well as warm wooden doors, airy balconies, large windows and a ground floor that harmoniously flows together with the lushness of its garden.
The project began when the Carlsberg Foundation issued a competition to build 22 apartments for scientific researchers next to J.C. Jacobsens Garden, in celebration of its founder's 200th birthday.
Even though the project was only completed in 2017, it has already won awards for its sublime sense of tactility and texture – its brick façade nods to nearby protected buildings, The Mineral Water Factory, which dates back to 1927, and The Hanging Gardens from 1969.
One senses the inspiration of Danish functionalist architecture such as Kay Fisker's Gullfosshus, but rather than being nostalgic and backward looking, Forskerboligerne has a sublime quality and sense of timelessness.
In the rapidly developing Carlsberg Byen, the history of the old brewing area seems to be replaced by hyper-modern buildings. But unlike many of the other new structures, Forskerboligerne will remain picturesque for decades to come.
