david thulstrup draws on scandinavian home interiors for copenhagen's new noma restaurant

in copenhagen’s christiania area, sitting on a plot of land where fortified walls once stood to defend the city during medieval times, the new home of world renowned restaurant noma is everything you would expect from a scandinavian interior – minus the nordic cliches. following the closing of its original location, and its tulum pop up destination, noma has now settled in a series of 11 individual buildings, design courtesy of BIG, with interiors by studio david thulstrup that boast an understated elegance, where everything feels handmade, honest and simple.

all photos by irina boersma

‘everything is carefully selected, curated or designed and nothing screams more than the other,’ says david thulstrup, ‘the whole thing has this sense of coherence and a very 360 degrees holistic approach.’ the brainchild of chef and co-owner rené redzepi, noma invites guests into a space where everything feels handmade and ‘lived-in’. in order to create a better sense of place and home, thulstrup drew on residential rather than hospitality, where materials take center stage and serve as most of the decoration. for the duration of one year, the copenhagen architect spent time selecting materials and treatments for all floors, wall and ceilings, designing cabinetry, furniture and lighting, selecting and commissioning art works, and buying vintage pieces for the space. for the restaurant’s custom-made terrazzo floor, thulstrup used large river stones ‘the shape of which you can feel when you walk on it with bare feet.’