In plain sight: Copenhagen's not-so-hidden gems
- The International
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
A modern city by historical standards, Copenhagen remains rich in history despite its lack of ancient legacy. Jess Hearne’s In Plain Sight acquaints Copenhagen’s expat community with the fascinating tales of their adoptive home city. This month, she dives into the history of Skuespilhuset, the Royal Danish Playhouse.
Photographs: Courtesy of Skuespilhuset
Text: Jess Hearne
Skuespilhuset (the Royal Danish Playhouse) is a symbol of how Copenhagen’s iconic waterfront was ushered into a dynamic, majestic new era. Opened in 2008, this theatre is both a cultural institution and a key player in the city’s modern reinvention.
A space for the people
For centuries, the banks of the canals were the centre of commerce, shipping and shipbuilding, but by the late 20th century, the industry that once defined the city had moved further north, rendering the harbour obsolete. The docks fell silent; the area was fenced off from the public and the once beating heart of the city quickly fell into decay.
By 2000, the city council launched a masterplan for revitalising the waterfront. The task of reimagining Inderhavnen fell to Henning Larsen Architects, who argued that the waterfront could once again thrive if it became a space for people rather than industry. By weaving commerce with bold new cultural landmarks, the harbour would be brought into the 21st century.
Their ambitious vision started with two major projects: Operaen (the Copenhagen Opera House) on Holmen, and Skuespilhuset at Kvæsthusbroen. Together they marked a turning point in how the city saw its waterfront as a stage for culture, rather than a derelict area lost to the annals of time.
A stage on the waterfront
Since the 1880s, the Royal Danish Theatre had sought extra space. While its Old Stage on Kongens Nytorv was treasured, it was also cramped, and plans for a separate drama house remained unrealised due to a lack of funding. However, once the Kvæsthus Pier was freed of ferry traffic and sold to the Ministry of Culture, the vision of Skuespilhuset came to life.
Located at the end of Nyhavn, the magnificent structure extended into the harbour with more than 40% of the building projecting over the water. Opening in 2008 at a cost of around €90 million, Skuespilhuset was immediately recognised as one of the most striking cultural buildings of its generation. In honour of Denmark’s heritage, it is among the last major buildings in the country to use traditional handmade bricks. Each brick is slightly different, giving the façades a lively, almost shimmering quality, contrasting the sharp modernist geometry of the structure.
Built as a tripartite composition, its glazed ground-floor foyer runs the full length of the building, creating a transparent link between land and sea. Above it, a deep horizontal volume clad in copper-coloured brick, specially developed to give a soft, textured surface that changes with the light, cantilevers dramatically over the water, housing rehearsal rooms, offices and private spaces. The dark glass roof floats above the building, all coming together to form one of the many new façades facing the water.
Outside is the 150-metre-long promenade deck, made of oak from German forests, which extends around the building and out into the harbour. Open to all, it blurs the line between theatre and public space. Visitors can wander along the timber boards and take in the view of Copenhagen’s historic skyline.
A new urban landmark
The location of Skuespilhuset transformed the relationship between the city and its harbour. Pedestrians climb gently sloping ramps, that feel like gangways, as if boarding a ship, and the view stretches across the water and out to the sea. The architects themselves spoke of the building as a cultural vessel, permanently moored at the edge of the city.
The theatre contains three performance spaces: the main auditorium with 650 seats, a medium-sized stage with 250, and a smaller studio with 100. The interior design reflects a distinctly Danish aesthetic - simple forms, natural oak, and careful attention to daylight. The main auditorium is clad in dark wood, recalling the hull of a ship.
Yet the design is not without controversy. From the landward side, critics note that the building is almost invisible, with brick façades that feel more defensive than welcoming. Unlike the colourful buildings of Nyhavn, Skuespilhuset is austere, and some argue it “turns its back” on the city centre. But from the water, it serves as a glowing lantern in the evening, with theatre-goers visible through the transparent foyer.
Skuespilhuset has firmly established itself as the home of Danish drama. Productions range from Shakespeare to new Danish works, often experimenting with contemporary stagecraft.
Skuespilhuset tells a story of how architecture can unite a city. Like Strøget’s pedestrian streets or Nyhavn’s reinvention as a leisure district, it represents the city’s ability to usher the capital into a modern era, without losing sight of its past.
To plan your visit, go to https://kglteater.dk/
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