RESTAURANT
Guest chefs in a former pencil factory
13 November 2019
Good news for those of you who love design brand Menu and the work of Norm Architects and Kinfolk founder Nathan Williams. They recently opened The Audo, a café, concept store and hotel in the upcoming neighborhood of Nordhavn in Copenhagen.
More and more designer brands offer their clients more than just products. Stephen Kenn in Los Angeles makes beautiful couches, and you can also stay at his loft too. Vipp is known for the pedal bin, but also creates unique places to stay all around the world, such as the Vipp Shelter in Sweden. And now Menu not only opened the doors of their new office, but invites others to join them too. In their cafe, concept store and/or hotel. It’s the perfect way to experience the world of this Danish design brand. And learn more about the other designers, artists and brands they love to work with.
Menu was founded in 1978 and is praised for their collection of minimalistic design products. Who doesn’t own something by Menu? Whether it’s a lamp or a plant stand. Their products go all over the world and are popular for their good quality and affordable prices. Their philosophy is to team up with other designers to create a unique collection. Norm Architects is one of the studios they have worked with for years, so when they came up with the idea to move to a building just one block away, they decided to hire them for the interior and design together with Nathan Williams of Kinfolk.
Founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen from Norm Architects tells us about the building that dates back to 1918 and how the Ace Hotel in New York inspired him to create multiple spaces under one roof. You can either have a drink in the cafe or get inspired in the concept store, where they sell products by Menu, but also books, fashion and art of other artists they admire. Like the painting by Portland-based Benjamin Ewing. And for those of you who want to stay the night they have 10 beautiful rooms on the second floor.
If they, Nathan Williams of Kinfolk and Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, had to describe the interior of The Audo they would call it soft minimalism. The time of minimalism, where everything is white and feels almost sterile, is gone. A space becomes more interesting when all of your senses are stimulated. This can be through a color on the wall, but also by the softness of the wooden floor or the way the light falls in. The rooms radiate tranquility, it feels as if your shoulders relax immediately and there’s more space to come up with new ideas. Very special in the room I stayed at (number 2) is the cave-like bathroom behind a wooden wall with a Japanese bath.
The Audo stands for Ab Uno Disce Omnes, which is Latin for From One Learn All. With this, they want to convey the importance of stimulating creative collaborations. This place is not meant for the brand to just sell as many products as possible, but truly as an invitation to artists, designers, and other creative minds to turn The Audo into an inspiring place. Sort of like an offline community for design-minded people.
The Audo is located in Nordhavn, an upcoming port area north of the city. Apart from The Audo, I recommend concept store Yume and plant store Plant KBH. You can order delicious croissants at Andersen & Maillard and have your coffee at Original Coffee. The area is also very interesting for the sportive ones since there’s an open-air rooftop gym with a great trail (starting with running up the parking lot). And in summer you can take a dive into the basin at the harbor. And do you want to go into the city? You’ll be there in 20 minutes by metro.
Check out: www.theaudo.com
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