Lyngby City Hall: Municipal Backbone with a Curve

When visiting Citizen Services at Lyngby City Hall, you’ll encounter gleaming columns, a stunning staircase, and numerous exquisite architectural details—making a little waiting time feel like a pleasant experience.

Lyngby City Hall stands proudly with its curved form, reigning over its central spot in Kongens Lyngby near Lyngby Hovedgade (main street). The building is easily recognizable by its concave shape, staggered, covered entrance, and striking facade of Greenlandic marble. On sunny days, the town hall looks particularly elegant, with its numerous windows softened by warm yellow awnings that temper its sharp and austere expression.

Built During Wartime

The curved structure was conceived during an era marked by war. Completed in 1941, the town hall’s construction faced challenges such as material shortages and economic hardship. Despite these obstacles, the goal was to erect a tall building capable of housing the entire municipal administration. Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality held an architectural competition, which was won by Hans Erling Langkilde and Ib Martin Jensen with their six-story design. Their plan included a striking assembly hall spanning two floors and a distinctive staircase that evoked the feel of a traditional town hall chamber—despite earlier plans to omit such features due to budget constraints.

In other areas, the war’s impact was more apparent. Material shortages led to the use of decommissioned railroad tracks from the Nærumbanen line (a train track) for the roof trusses. The facade’s Greenlandic marble was chosen by then-Prime Minister Thorvald Stauning to stimulate the Greenlandic industry.

Extensive Renovation

Constructed in a functionalist style, the building was designed to meet practical needs without unnecessary ornamentation. Flexibility was a key feature, allowing the interior layout to be modified as needed. Over the years, this adaptability was extensively used. The building was not designated as a historic landmark until 2014, and the numerous alterations made over time had distanced it from its original design.

By 2016, it was decided that the increasingly worn-down town hall needed renovation to restore it to its original appearance. ERIK architects led the project. Over the years, partitions and installations had been added but were removed during the renovation, revealing the original curved hallways that follow the building’s design. Previously hidden details, such as stucco-marble columns, were restored to their original appearance. Externally, the weathered marble slabs were restored, with some replaced using American marble, as Greenlandic marble is no longer mined.

The renovation was guided by photographs and descriptions from the building’s prime, ensuring the result stayed true to the original design. In September 2024, the fully restored town hall was reopened, showcasing its renewed splendor.