Viewed from the exterior, the compact building volume hardly changed. In terms of its appearance and geometry, the new roof recalls the existing one, down to the detail level. The windows from the 1980s no longer met current energy standards and needed to be replaced. The planners adjusted their position and size according to the new floor plan. The old lintels are still visible above the closed window openings in the masonry wall. Reinforced concrete lintels clad in brick slips span across the new openings. Gaps in the insulation layer between the interior and exterior brick shell were identified by use of thermal imaging cameras. The insulation was patched in the related areas. The planners decided to repoint all brick joints and patch and repair walls with reused brick in specific areas. As a result of reducing the cement share of the lime cement mortar, the facade appears brighter than before the renovation.
The architects liberated the interior from existing partitions almost completely. The functional program flows around three new building cores. Housing the stairwell, a storage room and a building services shaft, their masonry walls consist of perforated brick without render finish. Perforated brick hardly finds use in Denmark. However, it was important to the client to select regional building materials. Thus, bricks were produced according to the Danish 230/108 mm standard format and are 108 mm tall, twice the standard height of 54 mm. The central living area is situated between the cores and unites spaces for dining, a kitchen, the living room proper and a double height library. Marianne Krogh also uses the ground floor space for professional receptions and meetings. The upper floor remains private. It houses a bedroom, a studio, a bathroom, and a dressing room with balcony access.
Guided by the concept of a provisional renovation, Pihlmann Architects preserved the visual traces of the remodelling work: Instead of installing new parquet flooring, defective areas were patched with plywood panels and thus remain visible. Partition walls also consist of plywood. Brick reclaimed from the demolition work was reused for the terrazzo panels in the kitchen and bathroom.
