Axel Towers by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects: A Playful Mixed-Use Landmark in Copenhagen

Axel Towers, designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects, is a distinctive mixed-use office complex located at Axeltorv in Copenhagen, Denmark. Completed in 2018, the project spans 23,400 square meters and redefines the urban block through a composition of five interconnected cylindrical towers. Balancing architectural weight and visual lightness, Axel Towers introduces a contemporary landmark that responds sensitively to the city’s historic entertainment district while actively contributing to public urban life.

Architectural Concept and Urban Identity

The architectural language of Axel Towers is intentionally playful yet refined, drawing inspiration from the nearby Tivoli Gardens. Rather than forming a single monolithic structure, the project breaks free from the traditional perimeter block, creating a cluster of circular volumes with varying heights and diameters. This sculptural approach softens the building’s mass while allowing light, air, and movement to flow freely through the site.

The copper-colored façades and brise-soleil reliefs give the towers a rich material character that shifts with daylight and weather, reinforcing the project’s dynamic presence in the city. The circular geometry not only defines the exterior identity but also enhances interior spatial quality by maximizing daylight penetration and panoramic city views from the office spaces.

Public Space as Urban Anchor

A central ambition of Axel Towers was to give something back to the city. Through close collaboration with the Municipality of Copenhagen, the original district plan was revised to increase building height and free up 1,700 square meters of ground-level space. This strategic move allowed the creation of generous public squares and passages between the towers, transforming a once dense plot into an open, accessible urban landscape.

Without a defined front or back, Axel Towers can be approached from all directions. Broad exterior staircases, elevated plazas, and an inner square invite pedestrians to move freely through the site, offering moments of pause within a fast-paced urban context. The ground floor is animated by restaurants, cafés, and retail spaces, reinforcing the building’s role as a social and cultural connector in central Copenhagen.

Interior Organization and Workplace Innovation

Inside the towers, vertical circulation cores house stairways, elevators, and technical installations, freeing the façades for flexible, open-plan workspaces. This layout provides highly adaptable office environments with strong visual connections to the city. The main tenant, Gorrissen Federspiel, benefits from these expansive, daylight-filled floors that support contemporary workplace organization and collaboration.

The circular floor plates create varied spatial experiences, encouraging diverse working zones while maintaining visual continuity across the offices. Views extend across Copenhagen’s rooftops, reinforcing the building’s dialogue with its urban surroundings.

Landscape and Historical Continuity

The landscape design at Axeltorv reinterprets the historic green ramparts that once characterized the area. By weaving public greenery into the architectural composition, Axel Towers bridges Copenhagen’s past and present, rooting the project in local history while supporting modern urban life.

A Contemporary Copenhagen Landmark

Axel Towers stands as a model for mixed-use architecture, demonstrating how dense urban development can remain open, generous, and socially engaged. Through its sculptural form, active ground floor, and carefully crafted public spaces, the project enriches Copenhagen’s architectural identity while setting a benchmark for future office and mixed-use developments.

All photographs are works of 

• Rasmus Hjortshøj, Jens Markus Lindhe, Anders Sune Berg, Lea Jessen