CityHub Copenhagen Marries Technology & Warmth
Spacon & X combines a nordic method of warm tactility with the technology-based and futuristic CityHub identity
Words by: Meghan Dwyer
CityHub, a new hospitality concept with locations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, will debut its third outpost in Copenhagen this month. Designed by local interiors and architecture practice Spacon & X, the hotel meshes the brand’s identity of affordable technology-driven lodgings that provide guests with the resources for a highly efficient stay, with the warm, contemporary aspects of Nordic design.
“The concept that was developed is called ‘Nordic Tech’,” says Nikoline Syrup Carlsen, founding partner at Spacon & X. “It combines a nordic method of warm tactility through materials and colors with the technology based and futuristic CityHub identity. This combination creates a concept of contrast and contradictions. It is a collision of mutually supporting, but varied experiences, providing guests with multiple private and open living options depending on their mood.”
Occupying a former shopping mall, turned food market in central Copenhagen, CityHub carefully balances the line of hotel and hostel—offering the guests the privacy of personal rooms with the affordable prices and social benefits of hostels, making it appealing to a younger, social demographic.
“Starting from the entrance hangout area, the aim is to create a guest experience that balances an efficient space and customized solutions with approachable design that resonates with the values of young travelers, yet also provides the comforts where guests can relax,” says Carlsen.
The guest rooms, or ‘hubs’ as they’re called, offer guests compact yet pleasant spaces for a good nights rest. Featuring ample storage space, the Copenhagen rooms are designed with an added sense of coziness thanks to enhanced soundproofing, wooden shelves, and decorative plants.
The shared bathrooms, often crammed and troublesome in a typical hostel, are a highlight of the hotel, offering guests highly effective, private spaces. Durable, colorful materials such as silk-screened printed glass, yacht-varnished plywood, colored, concrete, and solid stainless steel, paired with Japanese shower door prints and skylights to create a calming and enjoyable experience.
“One challenge that the CityHub challenged Spacon & X with was the potentially disorienting experience of walking through the repetitive, highly technical Hub area,” says Carlsen. “It was especially challenging in Copenhagen, where there are 215 Hubs. We found a lot of qualities in this experience. While a lot of buildings hide how they work, Spacon & X’s response was to celebrate all the technical features of this building and the Hubs.”
The design team chose to highlight the winding hallways and incorporate the industrial aspects of the structure into the overall design.
It is almost an experience of walking inside a computer because of the amount of cables, pipes and ducts—which is very unique and therefore very interesting. The simple paint and the color-blocking carpet of the space and services enhances the experience.”
CityHub Copenhagen Marries Technology & Warmth
Spacon & X combines a nordic method of warm tactility with the technology-based and futuristic CityHub identity
CityHub, a new hospitality concept with locations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, will debut its third outpost in Copenhagen this month. Designed by local interiors and architecture practice Spacon & X, the hotel meshes the brand’s identity of affordable technology-driven lodgings that provide guests with the resources for a highly efficient stay, with the warm, contemporary aspects of Nordic design.
“The concept that was developed is called ‘Nordic Tech’,” says Nikoline Syrup Carlsen, founding partner at Spacon & X. “It combines a nordic method of warm tactility through materials and colors with the technology based and futuristic CityHub identity. This combination creates a concept of contrast and contradictions. It is a collision of mutually supporting, but varied experiences, providing guests with multiple private and open living options depending on their mood.”
Occupying a former shopping mall, turned food market in central Copenhagen, CityHub carefully balances the line of hotel and hostel—offering the guests the privacy of personal rooms with the affordable prices and social benefits of hostels, making it appealing to a younger, social demographic.
“Starting from the entrance hangout area, the aim is to create a guest experience that balances an efficient space and customized solutions with approachable design that resonates with the values of young travelers, yet also provides the comforts where guests can relax,” says Carlsen.
The guest rooms, or ‘hubs’ as they’re called, offer guests compact yet pleasant spaces for a good nights rest. Featuring ample storage space, the Copenhagen rooms are designed with an added sense of coziness thanks to enhanced soundproofing, wooden shelves, and decorative plants.
The shared bathrooms, often crammed and troublesome in a typical hostel, are a highlight of the hotel, offering guests highly effective, private spaces. Durable, colorful materials such as silk-screened printed glass, yacht-varnished plywood, colored, concrete, and solid stainless steel, paired with Japanese shower door prints and skylights to create a calming and enjoyable experience.
“One challenge that the CityHub challenged Spacon & X with was the potentially disorienting experience of walking through the repetitive, highly technical Hub area,” says Carlsen. “It was especially challenging in Copenhagen, where there are 215 Hubs. We found a lot of qualities in this experience. While a lot of buildings hide how they work, Spacon & X’s response was to celebrate all the technical features of this building and the Hubs.”
The design team chose to highlight the winding hallways and incorporate the industrial aspects of the structure into the overall design.
It is almost an experience of walking inside a computer because of the amount of cables, pipes and ducts—which is very unique and therefore very interesting. The simple paint and the color-blocking carpet of the space and services enhances the experience.”
