For the new London flagship shop, Universal Design Studio and AKQA draw on the light and nature of Denmark to create a soft and welcoming interior with natural materials and organic forms
Photography courtesy of Universal Design Studio, AKQA and Georg Jensen featuring the brand’s London flagship showroom
Words by Jessica-Christin Hametner
Georg Jensen’s flagship on New Bond Street, which opened its doors earlier this year, is as clean-lined and polished as the silverware it displays. The Mayfair outpost features a white, solid façade, while inside the two-storey, Scandi-style interior combines a desaturated palette, natural materials and silver accents.
The spectacular space is the work of Universal Design Studio and design company AKQA, who were enlisted by the Danish silversmith to fashion the interiors of the brand’s new London flagship. Drawing on the light and nature of Denmark, the streamlined showroom invites nature indoors by reflecting the Danish seasons.
As in other Universal Design Studio projects such as Villa Copenhagen or Holiland at the Luo Hong Art Museum in Beijing, the interior design follows a holistic approach of ‘design from the inside out, for people first’ to create human-led spaces. This ethos has guided the studio since its founding in 2001.
Photography courtesy of Universal Design Studio, AKQA and Georg Jensen featuring Fredericia’s Spanish Dining Chairs in cognac
Staying true to the studio’s philosophy, Universal Design Studio chose crisp furnishings and smooth finishes, allowing Georg Jensen’s silverware to shine. A neutral material palette, which references the brand’s home of Copenhagen, invites visitors inside the new 465 sq m showroom and, through the eyes of Universal Design Studio and AKQA, reflects the Danish seasons with thoughtful design finishes.
Walls are coated in subtle tones and come courtesy of Danish label St. Leo, which supplied the marble-effect paint, endowing the space with a calm atmosphere. Inspired by the Herluf Trolles Gade, a heritage street in the Danish capital, the warm but minimal finish highlights the varied textures, references and stone façades of the city.
Most dramatic is a continuous green marble skirting on the ground floor leading visitors through the jewellery displays, culminating in a curved monolithic marble cash wrap that adds depth and visual interest. Ash wall panels form a warm backdrop, while linen wallpaper line the roughly plastered walls to create moments of pause for both product display and client consultations.
Photography courtesy of Universal Design Studio, AKQA and Georg Jensen featuring the green marble skirting on the ground floor
There are also bespoke styling bars made of ash timber and zinc, which softly reflect the light, while glass fronted doors are internally lit and allow customers to discover a curation of collections, including Georg Jensen’s Reflect pendant designed by Jacqueline Rabun, or the American designer’s sterling silver Reflect ID bangles.
With a history that spans more than 100 years, Universal Design Studio reimagined these visual merchandising toolkits for jewellery, homeware and silver hollowware by drawing inspiration from linen boxes used in the physical archive, which the team found in the eaves of the Georg Jensen head office in Copenhagen.
‘Our time spent at the Copenhagen HQ, the archive and smithy provided an abundance of references as inspiration and an appreciation for the rich collection at Georg Jensen,’ writes Jake Powley-Baker, design director at Universal Design Studio. ‘It was essential that the space supports and showcases this history and archive.’
Photography courtesy of Universal Design Studio, AKQA and Georg Jensen featuring Georg Jensen’s Reflect pendant designed by Jacqueline Rabun
A curved staircase pours daylight into the showroom’s heart and leads customers to the first floor. Here, homeware and silver hollowware collections – think the brand’s iconic 1960s Koppel bonbonniere onion and its sleek stainless steel Pitcher – are displayed on ash timber shelving to create a balanced and inviting atmosphere.
To create a striking contrast to the otherwise minimal design, Universal Design Studio and AKQA incorporated cooler tones of brown and natural woods. These finishes beautifully complement the silver hollowware, which is showcased amongst tiered walnut surfaces that utilise undulating organic forms, as well as within glass vitrines carved into floor-to-ceiling walnut panelling.
By playing with various shades and materials, the designers have created a purposeful contrast to the ground floor below. The result is a moody interior with sleek lines and an enveloping atmosphere for a more involved moment of customer interaction. But there’s more to this well-designed space.
Photography courtesy of Universal Design Studio, AKQA and Georg Jensen featuring Georg Jensen’s Bernadotte Bowl and Fredericia’s Spanish Chair
In one corner, a single classic Spanish Chair – originally designed by Børge Mogensen in 1958 and now produced by family-owned Copenhagen design company Fredericia – comes in walnut and black saddle leather, further referencing Georg Jensen’s Scandinavian roots and simplistic elegance.
There are other pieces too, all courtesy of Fredericia: four cognac-coloured, Spanish Dining Chairs, which are neatly arranged downstairs, while Fredericia’s Pioneer Stool by Maria Bruun in oak features a soft, upholstered seat cushion for a touch of cosiness.
The designers specified a wide selection of contemporary and Fredericia furniture throughout as the brand’s variety of classic Danish and contemporary future icons mirror Georg Jensen’s balance of heritage and innovation, creating the perfect balance between form and function, past and present.
Photography by Peter Vinther featuring Georg Jensen Archive, Bangle 203A
‘In Scandinavia, we see light as the ultimate luxury,’ adds Nicolai Smith, executive creative director of AKQA. ‘Georg Jensen is a physical manifestation of the longing to hold on to light, as all products are made to absorb it. It’s been a pleasure to tell this story and give Londoners a glimpse of the Scandinavian nature that we deeply treasure.’
Rooted in minimalist and Nordic principles, Georg Jensen’s new London flagship showroom features an interplay between structured and organic forms, rich material palettes and linear shapes that fuse classic Scandinavian elements with modern design sensibilities.
Much like Georg Jensen’s timeless designs demonstrate an unwavering commitment to quality, the brand’s showroom on New Bond Street embodies a similar spirit. Every detail within the space shows a dedication to craftsmanship and lasting design principles, ensuring the showroom, as much as Georg Jensen’s assortment of exquisite objects, will endure for generations to come.
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