Frederiksberg, just west of Copenhagen’s city center, is posh and leafy, an attractive area that melds quiet residential pockets with busier streets laden with cafés and design shops. There are also heaps of green acres within Frederiksberg Gardens. Historic architecture, including spacious villas dating from the 1800s, is another part of the district's allure.

But for one family with three children, a contemporary reimagining of such a stately structure was more enticing than moving into an original one, and so they turned to local architecture collaborative EFFEKT to transform a pristine plot of land into an urban home markedly different from those of their neighbors.

“It’s a jewel hidden away from the street,” points out EFFEKT architect Gitte Juul Sørensen, who served as the residence’s project manager. Although the clients craved something “new and reactionary,” the location was “difficult to build on and we were limited with what we could do in terms of volume,” she adds.

The solution was to build a simple, two-story house capped in a gable roof that both follows the site’s awkwardly elongated L-shaped form and deftly incorporates the imposing old beech tree that towers over the structure.

Juul Sørensen says that the hardy beech "was a huge problem, but it was also fantastic,” noting how EFFEKT worked with local preservationists to ensure that it was well taken care of during the construction process and that “almost everything was designed around it.”

One half of the L-shape, reserved for the double-height, open-plan living area, is dominated by a three-layer glass facade. When residents and guests peer out the window, they are struck by the sight of a rustling tree that provides much-needed natural shading from the Nordic climate's unending summertime sun. “It is quite unusual for this to be in the middle of the city,” points out Juul Sørensen.

Shop the Look

Stretching across the modern villa’s exterior and up the roof is a ribbed, black-stained larch membrane that incorporates the window frames and solar panels. In the back, the terrace, accessed via sliding doors from the living area, is lined with cedar.

Like the architecture, pared-back yet striking, the interior mixes what Juul Sørensen describes as "a typical Nordic palette" with an aura of inviting warmth. Oak abounds in the house—it was used on the floors, the walls, and the sculptural staircase that leads up to the three bedrooms. In the kitchen, concrete floors and countertops are a cool contrast to views of the tranquil back garden.

“From the beginning, the clients very much put their trust in us. They just wanted something with architecturally clean lines—and a window at the end of the hallway,” explains Juul Sørensen.

Currently, EFFEKT is working on the villa’s next thoughtful phase: Landscaping. The owners want to create different zones within the garden for reflection and play, but most importantly, adds Juul Sørensen, “that when you look outside of this little house in the city, all you see is green.”

Related Reading:

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An Old Factory in Copenhagen Is Now a Photographer's Dream Home

Project Credits:

Architect of Record, Landscape Design, Interior Design: EFFEKT Architects / @effektarchitects

Builder/General Contractor, Structural Engineer, Civil Engineer, Lighting Design, Sound Engineer, Stairs and Cabinets: NHH

Kitchen Cabinetry Design/Installation: Handcrafted Interior / @handcraftedinterior