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Architects: LOOP Architects
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Rasmus Svingel
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Manufacturers: Kvadrat
Text description provided by the architects. In a former school in Paradisgade (Paradise Street), the Danish architecture studio found beauty in transforming and reimagining the numerous exceptional and historical details and materials. Furthermore, they have installed a small meeting room in the center of the gym, with mirror cladding reflecting the space and possessing the impact of an artwork.
Paradisiacal Spaces. When LOOP Architects visit the gymnasium in Paradisgade, they have no doubt. Here, they will establish a creative space for their architecture studio. In a building originally constructed as a school back in 1862, which later served as an integral part of the Aarhus School of Architecture for many years, they could envision how a deliberate transformation would support their very own creative paradise. Therefore, their vision was clear. They are converting the gymnasium and its associated rooms into an inspiring architecture studio while retaining and enhancing the history and the many mood-setting details that the spaces contain. A transformation that has been carried out with great respect for the history, the spaces, and the existing materials. Thus, they have been rethought, reused, and upcycled.
The Gym. The gym functions as a large, flexible space that can be utilized in many different ways. There is room height to potentially insert a level into the space. In the transformation process, the focus has been on creating more natural light with new openings in the form of large windows and doors, which open to the new balcony facing the schoolyard. With this balcony, they have access to fresh air and natural light. Here, they can take a short break, make phone calls, or have lunch. The gym bars are preserved and repaired, bearing witness to the hall's original function, telling stories, and creating an atmosphere. The walls are in yellow brick, as originally, and the sports floor is filled with marks and patina.
A Hall of Mirrors. In the middle of the gym, they have designed and added what they call the Hall of Mirrors, which both reflects its historical surroundings and radiates its own sculptural, modern minimalism. Additionally, it functions as a space-dividing element, containing a smaller meeting room. As a modern object, it also helps to distribute natural light throughout the gym.
The Storage Room. The former storage room has been converted into a meeting room. By installing a large, pivot-hung glass door in the opening, they ensure an interesting and daylight-lit meeting space. The door also serves as a changeable artwork, crafted from surplus wood. When the door is open, the room takes on the character of an interactive art installation.
