The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

Restoring a Cultural Heritage Landmark. From the end of 2028 and over a number of years, the Glyptotek will undergo a comprehensive restoration and technical upgrade to ensure the continued use and preservation of its buildings for generations to come.

Elgaard Architecture is the project’s conservation specialist, providing expertise throughout all phases and working as part of a highly specialised multidisciplinary team alongside Artelia and Molter Consult. To date, we have carried out building-historical studies, heritage assessments, developed a restoration strategy, and provided advice on the conservation and development of the listed and heritage-worthy buildings.

Facts

Year
2023 –

Theme
Restoration, Climate Resilience and Technical Upgrading

Client
The Glyptotek

Partners
Artelia, Molter Consult

Adresse
Dantes Plads 7, 1556 København V

A Museum Conceived as a Total Work of Art

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek was founded by brewer Carl Jacobsen in 1897 as the physical manifestation of his vision of making art accessible to all. The museum was conceived as more than a collection of works of art; it was intended as an institution of cultural education, where architecture, art and the visitor experience would merge into a unified whole.

The museum complex was built in several stages and comprises Vilhelm Dahlerup’s original museum building (1897), the Winter Garden with its distinctive glass dome (1906), Hack Kampmann’s extension (1906), and Henning Larsen’s extension from 1996. Together, they form one of Denmark’s most significant and architecturally complex museum complexes.

The Winter Garden, with its distinctive glass dome, was built in 1906 and completed Vilhelm Dahlerup’s vision for the Glyptotek. With its steel-and-glass structure, lush vegetation, and interplay between architecture and nature, the space constitutes a unique work of Danish museum architecture.

The Winter Garden connects the museum’s historic main buildings, serving both as an architectural link and as a landmark in its own right. Today, the Winter Garden forms the natural heart of the Glyptotek, while its glass dome stands as the museum’s most recognisable landmark.

Vilhelm Dahlerup’s Glyptotek building (1897) is a landmark of Danish Historicism. Carl Jacobsen envisioned the museum as a “temple of beauty,” inspired by the ideals of antiquity and the Renaissance. The result is a monumentally composed building distinguished by terracotta ornamentation, sculptures, and richly detailed façades.

The building is characterised by spatial variation, changes in level, and carefully choreographed sequences of spaces that create a distinctive museum experience. Combined with the exceptional richness of its materials, details, and natural light, these qualities make the building far more than a setting for art; it is a work of art in its own right.

Hack Kampmann’s exhibition building (1906) represents a different interpretation of Historicism from Vilhelm Dahlerup’s earlier building (1897). While Dahlerup drew inspiration from the Italian Renaissance, Kampmann created his own synthesis of Classical, Egyptian, Roman, and Nordic motifs.

The character of the building is expressed through its monumental façades, bespoke interiors, and carefully considered spatial organisation. Compared with Dahlerup’s museum, Kampmann’s building appears more restrained and understated, while sharing the same high ambitions for architecture, materials, and craftsmanship.

Henning Larsen’s “Skrinet” In 1992, Henning Larsen won the competition to design a new exhibition building for the Glyptotek, dedicated to Danish Golden Age art and French Impressionism. The extension, known as “Skrinet” (“The Casket”), was inserted into Hack Kampmann’s eastern courtyard and is a distinctive example of late Modernist architecture.

The monolithic exhibition core was set back from the historic façades, allowing large parts of Kampmann’s architecture to remain visible and experienced. Today, the building forms part of the comprehensive studies into the museum’s future development and restoration. 

Heritage Assessment as the Basis for the Restoration

The project is grounded in extensive archival research, documentation, and building-historical studies of the museum complex as a whole.

The studies have traced Carl Jacobsen’s original vision, the development of the buildings over time, and the alterations that have shaped the museum as we know it today. Based on this work, a comprehensive heritage assessment has been prepared, identifying the most significant cultural-historical, architectural-historical, and experiential values worthy of preservation — from the complex as a whole to individual buildings, galleries, and details.

The heritage assessment serves as a shared framework for the restoration work, providing the basis for informed decisions about what to preserve, adapt, or transform as the museum continues to evolve.

Architecture, Art and Daylight

The Glyptotek is a rare example of a museum in which art and architecture were conceived from the outset as a unified composition. Correspondence between Carl Jacobsen and the museum’s architects reveals how the placement of specific works of art and the admission of daylight were discussed as early as the design stage.

The museum’s distinctive character is experienced through its long axes, carefully choreographed sequences of spaces, rich material palette, and visual connections between the buildings. From the main entrance, visitors are led through the Entrance Hall, Winter Garden, and Banqueting Hall in a continuous spatial sequence that connects the complex as a whole.

Richness of materials and Craftsmanship

The Glyptotek was built during a period when industrialisation was opening up new structural possibilities. Behind the historic façades lie modern structures and innovative construction methods, while decorations in terracotta, stucco, marble, and mosaic were introduced as distinct architectural layers.

The buildings are characterised by an extraordinary richness of materials and an exceptionally high level of craftsmanship. Marble was sourced from Italy and Norway, Italian mosaic masters created the intricate floors, while Danish artists and craftsmen produced the ceilings, wall decorations, railings, and furnishings.

The Glyptotek is therefore not only a museum of art, but also a monument to the international culture and craftsmanship of Historicism, reflecting the period’s ambitious architectural ideals.

A Restoration with an Eye to the Future

The restoration of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is about more than preserving buildings. The project aims to ensure that the museum’s architectural and cultural-historical values can be carried forward, continuing to provide a setting for future generations to encounter art and culture.

With respect for the existing qualities and grounded in a deep understanding of the site’s history, the project team is working to strengthen the museum’s overall narrative and ensure its continued life into the future.

Photos by: Anders Sune Berg