Behind the Facade
at Nørrebrogade 34

We are thrilled to share our latest work at Nørrebrogade 34, where the entire facade has been revitalized to reflect the building’s original appearance while adapting to the modern needs of residents and commercial tenants.

At Kereby, we strive to carry out renovations with an emphasis on robust and long-lasting solutions that preserve buildings as the foundation for local businesses and as homes for the residents.

 

Historically, Nørrebrogade has been heavily impacted by traffic and wear, which has left a clear mark on the area’s buildings. The street’s lively commerce has taken a toll on the facades, removing beautiful details and blurring the architectural features. The buildings along the street have thus become a long stretch of signs that no longer stand out from each other.

 

The Challenge:

At Nørrebrogade 34, the commercial spaces had been vacant for a significant period, and the entire facade of the building appeared tired and worn. The ground-floor storefront was closed off, and the continuous turnover of business tenants over the years had created a cluttered look, where visibility was lost among all the other businesses on the street. The building had previously appeared as one of Nørrebrogade’s more prominent ones and as a landmark in the street.

 

To improve the leasing of commercial spaces on the ground floor, and at the same time give something back to the city, we wanted to revive the entire facade of the building to its original appearance. We also sought solutions that were more durable and did not require as frequent repairs as before.

 

The Process:

In collaboration between our departments in architecture and design, project management, and leasing, we developed a plan for the project and completed the renovation of the storefront facade, upgraded the commercial spaces, and cleaned the remaining facade of the building in 6 months.

 

During the cleaning of the entire facade, yellow bricks were revealed that had previously been hidden beneath the dirt of time. Beautiful ornaments and floral carvings in yellow brick now appear on the building’s facade. These have formed the basis to produce new bricks, which have been used to repair the rest of the facade.

 

On the storefront facade, all the old signs and panels were removed, after which many bricks were cleaned and reused. One half of the storefront facade was renovated, with some added bricks and ornaments to repair damage. The other half unfortunately had no remaining original facade, so this part was rebuilt from the ground up using handmade bricks. Finally, new window units were installed across the entire storefront facade.

 

The work was carried out by skilled and proud craftsmen who painstakingly cleaned, reused, and rebuilt with great respect for the building’s character and qualities.

The Result:

The storefront facade has been carefully reconstructed based on original drawings, thus regaining its character. The result is a revitalized facade that will only get more beautiful over time.

 

With small adjustments, we have also managed to adapt the old facade to modern needs. Larger window sections, increased space for signs, and lighting have created a usable and flexible framework for current and future commercial tenants. There has been a strong desire from potential tenants for an attractive facade. Being able to show visualizations of the future facade and sharing the plans to restore the building to its original look has therefore played a significant role in our leasing process.

 

Today, the building features two beautiful commercial spaces that contribute to the life and atmosphere of the street. The residents have shown patience during the process, and many have noticed the transformed building and praised its renewed beauty.

 

At Kereby, we strive to preserve the aesthetic urban environment and ensure the quality of our buildings, while also meeting the needs of our residents and commercial tenants. When we refurbish and modernize, we do so with respect for the building’s original character, prioritizing sustainable solutions and the reuse of materials on-site wherever it makes sense. We ensure that our buildings are up-to-date and keep pace with societal development, this is how we contribute to the city.

“As property owners, we bear responsibility—towards our tenants who live and work in our buildings and towards the city as a whole. It is our commitment to act responsibly in social, economic, and environmental areas. These principles form the foundation for our renovations, development, and maintenance of the properties.” Nils Gjulem, Head of Design.