Norm Architects Design the Hygge-Inspired 1 Hotel Copenhagen

A model for future living and sustainable urban life, Copenhagen is an increasingly popular destination. The compact Danish capital is home to a growing crop of distinct hotels that, contrary to the perception of Scandinavian design as sober and restrained, have emerged as bold, luxurious, even brazen statement pieces. Reaffirming the often-diluted concept of hygge—the Danish and Norwegian notion of taking time away from the daily rush to care for oneself and others—is the just-opened 1 Hotel Copenhagen. The 282-key retreat-within-the-city was comprehensively designed by internationally recognized practice Norm Architects with a balance of natural elements and human presence in mind.

In true adaptive reuse fashion, a mode increasingly defining Scandinavian architecture and design, the serene environment makes clever use of a 1930s building, ironically one with elaborate Neoclassical and Neo-Baroque exterior detailing. Step inside, however, and one is quickly transported away from the hustle of this dense, historically entrenched metropolis.

“The lively streetscape gives way to a warm and tranquil atmosphere,” the firm describes in a statement. “A sweeping staircase in reclaimed wood leads upward from street level, its sculptural form accompanied by living greenery that grows through the space like a slow and steady breath.” The accommodations this central yet unassuming feature leads guests toward are home-away-from-home sanctuaries perched above the city’s red, green, and black tile roofs. These retreats are fully equipped with kitchenettes and amply sized en suites.

“[The] spaces [are] shaped by natural materials, generous light, and an elegant softness,” the firm adds. “The rooms unfold in gentle layers, where raw tactility meets refined comfort, and where each transition is designed to support a calm, grounded way of being—allowing guests to feel at home, connected, and cared for.”

A muted tone-on-tone palette of natural materials coheres both refined and roughly hewn components. Subtle variations in texture and pattern ensure these domestic-like spaces do not become monotonous, especially as they filter in natural light. Plush but contained furnishings—a bit more generous than the proportions normally found in Midcentury Modern Danish design—evoke a sense of effortless comfort, incentivizing guests to actually put their phones down and fully relax.

The deft deployment of full-wall drapery helps achieve this encapsulating effect. The various functions of an environment approximating home are gently sequenced through the use of semi-translucent glass partitions. Some rooms open onto private terraces, bringing city life back into the equation, but from an elevated vantage point. The deftly enclosed but not stifling bathrooms are grounded by brick flooring, an earthen feature contrasted by slick blackened fixtures and framing.

“In the guest rooms, many elements are built directly into the architecture—crafted in stone and wood to form a calm, cohesive backdrop. These integrated details allow the spaces to feel intentional, bringing a sense of permanence while letting the natural materials define the experience.”

The common areas—a feature rarely found in Copenhagen hotels at this scale—are holistically appointed and handled with comparable attention. In these spaces, natural elements are not merely accents but equally important protagonists. The reception area, with ample seating that lets guests linger before venturing out into the capital, gives way to a lushly planted courtyard garden. Antechambers are imbued with an even more mollifying atmosphere. Allowing tree-trunk surfaces to speak for themselves, décor is kept to a minimum. What appear to be woven natural-fiber tapestries literally and conceptually encapsulate the hotel’s entire scheme.

In layout and layered materiality, 1 Hotel Copenhagen not only retreats from the urban fabric, but threads a line between past and present.

What: 1 Hotel Copenhagen
Where: Copenhagen, Denmark
How much: $294 per night
Design draws: A retreat-within-the-city reaffirming the potential of hygge design by carefully interlacing natural material and facilitating a calmer guest experience.
Book It: 1 Hotel Copenhagen

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Photography by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen and Karl Tranberg Knudsen.

Adrian Madlener is a Brussels-born, New York-based writer specializing in collectible and sustainable design. With a particular focus on topics that exemplify the best in craft-led experimentation, he’s committed to supporting talents that push the envelope in various disciplines.