There are certain places that grow to hold deep meaning, spaces that resonate with both past and future. For New Works, that place has become Bernstorff’s Palæ. Their move to this storied building, now the premises of New Works Residence, reflects their journey and aspirations.
Bernstorff’s Palæ was the very first place they visited in their search for a new home, and it lingered in their minds. Co-founder and Creative Director Knut Bendik Humlevik shares, “New Works Residence has always been the dream for Nikolaj and me. In some ways, I’ve been living here for several years already. It’s special that it’s finally happening, that we’re now experiencing it with the people around us.”
Bernstorff’s Palæ, a jewel in Copenhagen’s Frederiksstaden, stands as a tribute to 18th-century architecture, meticulously preserved over time. Designed by architect J.G. Rosenberg and commissioned by Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff, the building’s first cornerstone was laid in 1752.
Their new home on the second floor offers a unique canvas; once the quarters of the servants, this level and its heritage allow for fewer restrictions than the floors below, granting creative freedom while respecting the history of the space.
The New Works Residence is their largest venture to date and, quite literally, one they hold close to home and heart. Every room has a purpose and meaning beyond mere design display; it is about how the space is inhabited and how people socialize within it.
The collaboration between Creative Director Knut Bendik Humlevik and Swedish stylist Lotta Agaton spans five years, making Agaton’s involvement in shaping the new home a natural choice. Their synergy has infused each room with a unique character, inspired by the architecture, the way the New Works team and guests live and interact within it, and the sun’s journey through the space throughout the day—echoing daily rhythms.
The play of light within its walls was one of the first things that stood out upon entering the new premises. With windows welcoming the sun from both the east and west, the sunlight choreographs a daily spectacle, changing the ambiance of each room and subtly directing movement and presence within the space.
“The space is, in many ways, a home—a sanctuary where people are meant to live and thrive, a space that brings ease.”
