Atelier September is located close to the sea and forest, where many people seek a restorative experience away from the city. The café emphasises the importance of appreciating and enjoying that which we surround ourselves with; they include only the details that matter and leave the rest open to be defined by those who spend their time there.
"A space needs to look somehow unfinished or open in the design - even though all details are thought through - as it is through this openness that people can read themselves into the space and feel part of creating it." - Nikolaj Lorentz Mentze, Interior Designer.
The café space
The new café's interior designer, Nikojaj Lorentz Mentze, shared the concepts behind the interior: to take recognisable elements from the original café in Copenhagen, where simplicity in style and the spatial framework set the scene for the artefacts found there, and emanate a feeling of effortlessness. Combined with the smell of fresh coffee and beautifully crafted dishes, the new café is a recognisable continuation of its iconic original.
Nikolaj comments, "I think this continuation of carefully crafted elements – yet still humble and unpretentious – is a fine balance that Atelier September masters very well and is significant for both cafes."
The café owners have a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, raw materials, heritage and simplicity that is reflected in the space. These are also values that the guests share and reflect. The chairs selected for the project – the Ant™ chairs and Dot™ stools – are both designed by Arne Jacobsen, the iconic Danish designer who left his mark on the area where the café is situated.
"I feel like the chairs' heritage belongs to this area. Back in time, Arne Jacobsen placed his chairs in many of the projects up the coast of Zealand. It is a classic and very recognisable chair which many people have their own personal connections to," says Nikolaj.
The informal yet sculptural shapes of the Ant™ chairs and Dot™ stools in red and green colours contrast against the white and steel surfaces surrounding them. When all elements are considered together, a fine balance between functional and classical is evident, with an old wooden dining table, marble slats, high-gloss panelling, and steel surfaces in the kitchen. Inspired by the colours of maritime language, the seating colours selected are a nod to the sea that starts just a few hundred metres from the café.