Gemini Residence

The apartments in the former grain silo are built on the outside of the two raw concrete cylinders. Inside, they house two circular staircases that will take anyone’s breath away. There is no public access, but you can still get a sense of the aesthetics.

Over the last 15 years, Copenhagen’s southern harbour has undergone a gradual but extensive transformation from industrial hub to residential dream.

At the centre of this dream are twin concrete silos encased in tranquil blue glass that make up the Gemini Residence.

These 84 apartments are the result of a radical and innovative design by Dutch architects MVRDV. The building has become a clear reference point for industrial renovation projects in Copenhagen’s newer Nordhavn district.

Originally seed and grain storage tanks, the silos’ raw concrete spheres were masterfully left intact, their thick walls providing a structural hanging point for the residence’s eight floor plans.

To retain the hollow charm of their original functionality, the central atriums are open-topped, covered only by an air-filled plastic membrane that allows light to flood the futuristic lobbies and entrance hallways.

From residents’ front doors, apartments fan outwards, facing their surroundings to provide spectacular views from the oversized balconies that wrap around the building. If the views towards Copenhagen or the distant shores of Sweden weren’t enough, Gemini Residence is neighbour to one of Copenhagen’s famed harbour baths, bryggebroen and Cykelslangen, a pedestrian and cycle bridge that connects residents to the city centre in a matter of minutes.