27/05/2026
How does a new civic building become part of a place already shaped by history?
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๐ซ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ is located in the central part of Frederiksberg - an independent municipality, enclosed by the wider fabric of Copenhagen. Founded in 1651, its early development was shaped by Frederiksberg Palace and its gardens, and by the cultivated milieu that grew up around them. That legacy remains tangible today.
In 2012, Frederiksberg Courthouse was extended beside Hack Kampmannโs listed courthouse from 1921 โ a building of civic weight, set within a wider ensemble that includes his Police and Fire Station and the nearby Solbjerg Church.
The new structure was designed for contemporary judicial use, but the task was never simply to add space. It was to continue an already distinct architectural legacy in a language of today.
Built in a lighter brick, the extension stands in clear relation to Kampmannโs courthouse without borrowing its expression. Its roofline returns to the familiar pitch of the original, but in a sharper, quieter outline. There is a careful balance in the building between weight and lightness, authority and human presence.
Though it answers to the strict demands of a judicial institution, it avoids the distance often associated with civic buildings of this kind. Instead, it meets the street with a calm openness, allowing its walls to belong to the neighbourhood rather than stand apart from it. When light moves across the masonry, the faรงade gathers warmth, softening the edge between the building and its surroundings. Trees, planting and everyday movement become part of its presence.
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Photos: Adam Mรธrk + Zuhal Kocan
