Camillo Eitzen House,
designed by C.F. Møller Architects
On Copenhagen's waterfront, on the site of the former industrial docks, a project has emerged that expresses the architectural consciousness of a 21st century city - the Camillo Eitzen House. The C.F. Møller Architects studio is responsible for its concept, creating a mixed-use residential and office block with a total area of more than 12,000 square meters. Completed between 2006 and 2008, the project is part of an extensive plan to transform the Søndre Frihavn area into a vibrant urban neighborhood. It is not only an example of effective development of a post-industrial site, but also a model for integrating urban functions into a modern spatial form. The project can serve as a study of the contemporary understanding of urbanism: it responds to the needs of housing, the office market and common spaces by combining them into a single, sculpturally formed block.
Camillo Eitzen House is a building that combines residential and office functions in a single block
photo by Julian Weyer © C. F. Møller Architects
transforming the port into a city neighborhood
America Plads is an area in the northeastern part of Copenhagen that until a few decades ago had a port and industrial function. The area has undergone a significant transformation as part of a revitalization project designed by Adriaan Geuze of the Dutch office WEST 8. The main premise of the plan was to produce an intensively developed, mixed-use urban district. The individual quarters were designed with the assumption of stylistic diversity, and architectural teams from different countries were invited to implement the project.
C. F. Møller Architects developed two of them - Nordlyset and Camillo Eitzen House - as well as an overall urban landscape design, including public spaces, paving, greenery and recreational zones. The planning strategy also called for the inclusion of underground parking for more than 1,200 cars, allowing the above-ground space to be dedicated to social and public functions.
Camillo Eitzen House model
© C. F. Møller Architects
integration without losing identity
Camillo Eitzen House is a building that combines residential and office functions in one block. The southern section is designed for 37 apartments ranging from 100 to 160 square meters, while the eastern, western and northern wings are occupied by office spaces. By varying the height of the floors - higher office floors and lower residential floors - the body of the building achieves a characteristic rhythm and scaling that reflects the functional structure of the interior.
Two passageways crossing the building are an important element of the design. They lead both to the apartments and to the central courtyard, which serves as a common outdoor space. These passageways, running the entire height of the building (except for the top floor), give the structure an impression of openness and transparency, and at the same time provide a physical and symbolic connection between the two functional zones. The top floor houses a shared penthouse with conference rooms and lounge spaces for users of the office section.
Elevation of Camillo Eitzen House
photo by Julian Weyer © C. F. Møller Architects
light brick and stepped structure
The body of this multi-story building is made of light brick, and the elevations consist of modular segments that form a stepped structure with projecting terraces at each level. The terraces are protected by flat balustrades of simple design. The windows are rectangular in shape, vary in size and are arranged asymmetrically. The window frames are dark and contrast with the facade. Each floor is offset from the adjacent floor, which gives the structure a geometric, cascading character.
Camillo Eitzen building - ground plan
© C. F. Møller Architects
common language of materials
Despite the separation of functions, Camillo Eitzen House maintains visual unity. Dynamic folds of the facade surfaces create a rhythmic, multi-faceted image of the building, which integrates the elements of apartment balconies and large glazed offices into a coherent formal language. The surfaces of the exterior walls are clad in light green and gray sand-textured brick. This material gives the building a homogeneous character and places it in the context of the neighboring urban development. At the same time, its subtle color and texture respond to changing lighting conditions, enriching the perception of the building during the day.
The Camillo Eitzen building at night
photo by Julian Weyer © C. F. Møller Architects
balance between private and public
One of the key aspects of the design is the extensive system of common spaces. The courtyard, accessible from both the arcades and the apartments, serves a recreational and inclusive function. Outdoor spaces have been carefully designed to accommodate the needs of different users: residents, office workers and visitors.
Common spaces, such as the meeting rooms on the top floor, combine representative and utilitarian functions. They allow for business events and daily relaxation surrounded by panoramic views of the new port district. Such architectural solutions indicate the growing importance of shared zones in the design of mixed-use buildings.
Camillo Eitzen House - a view from afar
photo by Julian Weyer © C. F. Møller Architects
Camillo Eitzen House as a model for sustainable urbanization
The project by C. F. Møller Architects fits into the broader discourse of sustainable urban development. The integration of functions, the efficient use of space, the design of community zones and the diversification of use typologies are all elements that respond to contemporary urban challenges. Camillo Eitzen House not only serves a residential and office function, but also actively participates in the creation of the urban landscape. Its architecture does not compete with its surroundings, but co-creates them, becoming a reference point in the process of transforming former port areas into a new urban quality.
Camillo Eitzen building
Photo by Julian Weyer © C. F. Møller Architects
integrating function and form in a post-industrial landscape
Camillo Eitzen House is an example of how architecture can combine functions, forms and ideas into a coherent, complex structure. The thoughtful integration of residential and office spaces, the expressive form of the faceted volume, the consistent materiality and the careful planning of the urban landscape make this project an important reference point for future developments in post-industrial areas. Contemporary cities need such interventions - comprehensive, adaptive, responsive to the changing needs of users and urban structures. Camillo Eitzen House undoubtedly fits in this direction.
Elaborated: Anastazja Dżupina
Illustrations provided courtesy of C.F. Møller Architects.
