Kgs. Lyngby
Hempel
Hempel’s distinctive domicile is located near Eremitagen
A sculptural spiral staircase in the central atrium serves as the main element and focal point of the entire domicile.
- Location
- Kgs. Lyngby
- Year
- 2013
- Developer
- Hempel
- Area
- 5.000 m²
Vortex spiral as inspiration
When a bucket of paint is stirred up, an organic shape – a vortex spiral – arises which becomes particularly visible when two colors are mixed. The centrifugal force is a fictitious force which affects a body that rotates and which seeks to pull the body away from the center. The centrifugal force and the vortex spiral are two concepts that have served as the architectural inspiration in the design of Hempel’s head office in Lyngby.
The spiral is a central architectural element, and serves as a focal point for the entire construction of the house. The spiral is physically expressed as a sculpturally designed staircase in the center of the building.
Symbolically, the spiral affects the rest of the house’s structure, giving the domicile its special dynamics and shape. The staircase appears as a power center, which with its rotating movement creates the central atrium, which today is the heart of Hempel’s head office. In contrast to the house’s internal organic forms and the area’s vegetation, the building’s exterior is designed as a precise rectangular volume made of light materials. The contrast adds excitement and an architectural experience to the house, where the organic and the sharply cut individually reinforce each other.
