Aesop Nyhavn

Our second Copenhagen signature store is located in the spirited quarter of Nyhavn, once home to Hans Christian Andersen and Karen Blixen. The historic local harbour is instantly recognisable by dint of its veteran timber ships and colourful townhouses. The space—located in a converted seventeenth-century building—was designed in collaboration with German practice einszu33, and harmonises with the distinctive fibres of its locale. Nearby is the landmark Rundeårn, mentioned in some of Anderson’s fairytales. It still functions as an astronomical observatory, and still features the spiral staircase built to accommodate the king’s horse-drawn carriage. Upon entry to the store, the staggered bond of handmade, fire-burned yellow bricks maintains consistency underfoot, an extension of the surrounding cobbled streets. A warm palette is enhanced by textural contrasts enveloping the interior—the roughness of brick, shine of silver-plated brass and softness of a wool-wrapped wall. Two rounded sinks sit in opposition to the angled form of the space; their curved outlines reprised in amber-hued vases hand-blown by German designer Fabio Vogel.