Wonderwall

At the Royal Danish Library Aarhus, Kvadrat textiles contribute to a wellbeing-orientated environment where visitors can immerse themselves in reading and studying. Many are employed on the furniture, which is custom designed.

In the basement, which is home to the study area, lounge chairs are covered in Divina and other assorted pieces of furniture are upholstered in Coda 2. Folding screens and chairs are finished in Divina MD.

Furthermore, there are hanging circles in the basement made from Divina that divide the room into small, private spaces. A curtain crafted Divina Mélange also hangs in a meeting room.

The colours and textures of the textiles in the basement work together to create a vibrant and productive yet relaxed atmosphere, despite an absence of daylight. Originally, the space was an old storage facility.

Ulla Eltang Sylvestersen, architect “It is invaluable to be able to draw on professionals who are experts in their field. That is why it was so important to us that we felt safe with the advice we received from Kvadrat.”

On the ground floor, visitors are welcomed by a custom-made curtain in a space dedicated to the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It comprises a transparent layer incorporating paper-cut motifs associated with the writer, and a layer of Divina MD. Elsewhere, lounge chairs are upholstered in Hallingdal.

On the upper floors, niches on elevating tables are upholstered in Divina together with the lounge chairs. Furthermore, niches on the ‘Wall of Materials’ – a signature feature at the library which spans all four floors – integrate Coda 2.

The award-winning library, which is the library for Aarhus University, is set in a beautiful park and has been the subject of a staged renovation since 2015. It holds millions of items, including books, journals, patents, maps, prints and drawings and has been recognised with the Årets skolebyggeri in 2018 (Educational building of the year) and the Renover Award in 2020.