Nansensgade Youth Housing: Supportive homes for independent young people
Nansensgade Youth Housing is a socially driven residential project by Christensen & Co Architects, located on a narrow urban site in central Copenhagen. The project is designed for vulnerable young people transitioning toward independence. It combines compact design with strong social values, creating an inclusive and supportive home in the heart of the city.
Balancing independence and community living
Located on a narrow infill site in central Copenhagen, Nansensgade Youth Housing is a unique social housing project developed by Christensen & Co Architects. Designed for vulnerable young people transitioning into independent living, the building contains nine compact apartments, each with a private kitchen, bathroom, and bay window overlooking the street. The thoughtful design supports residents' autonomy while maintaining strong ties to the city's social care programs.
The building is clad in warm, copper-colored aluminium with distinctive window niches that reflect the rhythm of the street’s architecture. A communal roof terrace takes advantage of varied building heights to offer a shared outdoor retreat, while a ground-floor bicycle repair workshop fosters interaction with the broader community.
Initiatives supporting the residents’ skills and independence are integrated into the building, such as an individual heating and measuring system that gives the residents an understanding of their energy consumption. The youth housing at Nansensgade creates space for diversity in central Copenhagen through the project’s functionality and user group. Here, encounters between different parts of society are encouraged to happen.
“This project is about more than architecture, it’s about giving young people the confidence and stability to shape their own futures.”
About Christensen & Co Architects
Christensen & Co Architects, founded in 2006 in Denmark, creates innovative, sustainable architecture across Scandinavia, Europe, and North America. They focus on high-quality, research-driven design, collaborating closely with clients to deliver lasting, flexible spaces in culture, housing, workspaces, and more. Christensen & Co strives for social and environmentally responsible buildings that enrich communities and stand the test of time.