The renovation has brought new life and vibrance to inner Nørrebro, and provided a setting for number of new restaurants, cafés and small businesses. The renovation and rethinking of the Irma block has lifted the character of the historic buildings and given the area around the block a boost.
The industrial expression is partly preserved in the inner courtyards of the block, and the ground floor premises have been converted for commercial purposes – restaurants, cafés, IT companies as well as galleries and workshops. All apartments – a total of approximately 3,000 m² – have undergone full refurbishment.
Life and history were the keywords of the project. It was a prerequisite throughout the project to respect the building’s history and the character of the urban courtyards, while injecting contemporary qualities.
Prior to the renovation work, there was extensive dialogue with the authorities to find the right solution for the city, the local area and the developer. The developer, the municipality and the practice put our heads together to ensure that residents and businesses would not be left in a less favourable situation than they were before, i.e. with fewer parking spaces, etc. As a result, the block has been optimised to cope with the new businesses moving in and the stresses this entails.
