Villa Copenhagen is sheltered inside an iconic architectural landmark in the Danish capital city. When designing a hotel that answered to the needs of modern travellers while also remaining sensitive to the building’s past, Universal Design Studio leaned towards the experts at AXOR when focusing on luxury bathrooms…
Housed in the former Danish Post and Telegraph office, which dates back to 1912, sits Villa Copenhagen, which Hotel Designs reviewed when it first opened in 2020. The 390-key hotel signals a ‘new social scene’ for the Danish capital, offering conscious, approachable luxury complemented by intuitive and personalised service. Incorporating the UN Sustainable Development Goals into its overall strategy, the hotel takes full responsibility for its impact on the planet, which is why durable, water-conserving and beautiful AXOR products were chosen for the bathrooms.
Image credit: Villa Copenhagen
Villa Copenhagen was designed by London-based practice Universal Design Studio. The rooms are designed to offer a moment of escape and slowing down, a connection to the beauty of Copenhagen. Handcrafted Zellige tiles, an internal window of textured glass, and custom marble vanity units feature alongside AXOR fittings, finished in Chrome and Brushed Black Chrome, an exclusive AXOR FinishPlus surface: “We used the Montreux collection because we were looking for a product that had a heritage feeling, but was still contemporary, especially using the black chrome finish,” said Richard McConkey, Interior Architect, Universal Design Studio.
Image credit: Villa Copenhagen
The presence of bespoke AXOR Montreux basin and bath taps in the hotel’s eight Shamballa suites deserves special mention. The suites, designed by Danish luxury brand Shamballa Jewels, convey an atmosphere of luxurious warmth, laid-back tranquility, and exciting contrast. In the bathrooms, the Shamballa team worked closely with AXOR Signature, the customisation service of AXOR, to create bejeweled handles—cast as double thunderbolts, the symbol of Shamballa—for the taps. The handles are inlaid with ruby and sapphire to represent hot and cold water; they express perfectly the AXOR commitment to individualisation and personal luxury. “AXOR were really open to approaching this almost unachievable and bespoke vision with both care and attentiveness,” Olga Krukovskaya, Architect, Shamballa Jewels, recalled. “It was extremely helpful to have the team from Germany helping us with the technical aspects, producing prototypes, and always with quality from the start. We have built good memories and strong relationships through the whole process of working with AXOR.”
All AXOR fixtures at Villa Copenhagen help the hotel achieve its high sustainability goals. AXOR even developed a special shower system design featuring its water-conserving EcoSmart technology. “In Scandinavia, there are, and rightly so, very tight water flow rate specifications that we needed to adhere to for the project,” added McConkey. “AXOR have been excellent in helping us meet those criteria.” Rather than compromising the guest experience, such resource-saving measures enhance the experience instead.
Indeed, that’s what conscious luxury is all about. Joyful, inclusive as well as sustainable. And Villa Copenhagen is a perfect match for the city with which it shares a name.
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Main image credit: Villa Copenhagen
