project overview

Interior Design

Combining the reliability of tradition with contemporary innovation that lies at the heart of the Gefion Insurance brand, we have designed an office space that merges the values of a luxury hospitality experience with the functions of a modern workspace. The concept is based on the idea of “simple luxury” and is curated to make guests, clients and employees alike feel relaxed by evoking the sentiment of checking into a five star hotel.

The office is located across three floors of a historic building just a stone’s throw from the picturesque square of Kongens Nytorv, right in the heart of Copenhagen’s most desirable and historic district. The very untraditional setting further enhances the exclusive hospitality feeling.

Playing with perception
The overall ambition for the project was to create a modern and functional workspace that contains elements that are typically associated with catered hospitality settings. A play with perception begins from the moment of entering the building. The entrance area is situated at the end of a long, dimly lit corridor where guests are met by a marble wall on which the company’s logo is projected. It is controlled by motion sensors and can be altered to display specific company messages or greet the guests by name. An elevator then takes you to the fourth floor where the reception is situated.

Creating an open office environment
With a small area of only 221m2 spread across three floors, every detail was carefully thought through in order to optimise the use of the space. An open-plan solution was designed that placed focus on spatial and acoustic optimization, while creating a sense of exclusivity and simple luxury. To fit all the necessary seating in the idiosyncratic space, we created a number of breakout zones and accustomed a space that advocates flexible seating. The original width of the stairs was made narrower, allowing for cosy seating corners to be inserted into the walls to create private relaxation areas. Divisional walls made in glass additionally allow for the natural light to pass through the office creating a better sense of space.

Bespoke furniture

A bespoke furniture collection was designed for the client, including an asymmetric table made from concrete and wood with brass details, mushroom coffee tables made from solid marble, and a set of Tom Dixon brass lamps integrated into the tables. Additional custom-designed furniture, like the fitted shelving, can be found in the workspace. Height-adjustable desks were also created especially for this project, configured in islands to create a dynamic and collaborative working environment.

Brand story

Detailed, opulent forms were transformed into solid, geometric shapes. Long tentacles became noble curved lines and dramatically swollen muscles transformed into polygons. The choice of colours was reduced to a palette of brass and black to convey the idea of simple luxury and to give a sense of power and stability to the brand. This simplicity and elegance served as a foundation for the clean typography.

The visual identity created for Gefion and Kraken was additionally adapted to the third member of the family, Askerud & Partners. “We chose a minimalistic, sharp design with a plain brass cross for the logo”, explains Mackay.

Based on these identities, we developed a corporate identity package for all three companies, comprised of everything from website design to office stationery, including business cards, signage, letterheads, envelopes and traditional rubber stamps.