Bellevue Bathhouse

Bellevue Beach in Klampenborg, Denmark, about ten kilometers north of Copenhagen, is legendary. The architect, still young in the early 1930s, Arne Jacobsen It was he who won the tender to build a seaside resort complex. As part of a comprehensive concept, Jacobsen designed and implemented everything from work uniforms to bathing and changing cabins, tickets, kiosks, and lifeguard towers. Now, this architectural and design gem by Arne Jacobsen has been restored and adapted to modern needs: the Bellevue men's changing room has been transformed into a beautiful bathhouse.

Bellevue changing room becomes wellness oasis

A tram ticket to the so-called "White City" once cost just 30 Øres for a direct round trip, including admission to the approximately 700-meter-long sandy beach—the equivalent of less than five cents. No wonder, then, that locals flocked to Bellevue Beach in the summer. Even today, the area around the Bellavista housing estate, with the Bellevue Theatre (1932–1935), for which Jacobsen also designed the Bellevue lighting series, remains a popular destination during the summer months. This is over 90 years after its inauguration by the then Danish Prime Minister. Thorvald Stauning transformed the men's changing room into a wellness oasis.

Arne Jacobsen's design style

Jacobsen's design style was adopted by the German sanitaryware specialist Duravit and realized with elegant countertop basins from the Happy D.2 Plus series. The gentle curves of the Zencha mirror series support the flow of Chi, the life force. Equipped with a touchless sensor switch and mirror heating, the light frame of this series can be adjusted continuously. Modern floor-standing toilets from the ME by Starck series echo the distinctive architecture of 1932 and, despite the significant age difference, blend harmoniously into the overall design.

Relaxing on Bellevue Beach

The extensive and meticulous renovations of the listed buildings are now complete, transforming the former changing rooms into a wellness oasis – a haven for body and mind. A sauna, infrared sauna, sauna shower, seawater bath, yoga studio, and a café now invite guests to relax by the beach. Naturally, Jacobsen's unmistakable style has been preserved throughout the building, as evidenced, for example, by the hand-painted numbers on the original lockers.

Image source: Duravit AG