Historical and modern doors
to iconic and listed buildings.
The Girls’ School in Christiansfeld is part of a very special piece of history, so big that in 2015, the entire town of Christiansfeld was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. When you walk around the city streets of this small town in Southern Jutland, you’ll immediately sense that the town is something special.
The town was built by the Moravians in the late 1700s, when in rural areas they used to build small, crooked half-timbered houses with small windows and low ceilings. The houses in Christiansfeld are completely different. The streets are long, straight and wide, and the houses are built on two floors – straight, flush yellow brick facades, high ceilings and large rococo windows. All of which were only found in royal and noble buildings in Copenhagen at the time.
Panel doors
Painted in historical correct gray color
Wide frames
Gives doors a solid foundation
Fire door
With hidden door closer
Rooftops
Douglas walls and panel doors
Modern meets classic
Panel doors and flush glass doors
Modern glass doors
in Douglas fir wood
Modern doors have been added
where there were originally no doors
Brass handles
Connecting classic and modern
Door without threshold
Allows for continuous floors
Concealed hinges
Provides a simple and functional solution
A cultural treasure is beautifully restored with a focus on preserving the original combined with the modern and innovative.
Vahle has had the great pleasure of supplying doors to the Girls’ School in Christiansfeld. Over the years, Vahle has also previously contributed doors to renovations of the Moravian houses in Christiansfeld carried out by the main construction consultant Tegnestuen Mejeriet. The girls’ school is one of the last of the large buildings in the city to be renovated. The Moravian community chose to sell the girls’ school to the municipality in 1920 when the girls’ school closed.
“My wife, Grethe, and I were lucky enough to be allowed to buy the Girls’ School from the municipality,”
says Hans Erik Bylling from Aller Aqua Group.
“Aller Aqua is a company with deep roots in the history of this area, so it means a lot to us that we have been given the opportunity to help preserve a beautiful piece of history. At the same time, it has an incredibly high symbolic value for us. The panel doors are painted in the characteristic grey color, which has been very dominant for the Moravian buildings in Christiansfeld. We had a color analysis done to make sure the color was what we expected because we’ve seen it in the other houses we’ve renovated,”
explains structural engineer Peter Buchholt Petersen, Tegnestuen Mejeriet.
The girls’ school was one of the former B-listed schools, which no longer exists, meaning that not everything inside has been protected by the conservation rules. For about 100 years, the municipality had used the house for many different purposes, with the result that the original interior of the house had been largely rebuilt.
There were only a few original elements left inside. Including a single door leaf. The door leaf has been renovated and the original door has been preserved. All the new panel doors supplied by Vahle are made as exact replicas of the original late 18th century door produced as both sound and fire doors.
Modern glass door marks where there were no doors historically
In addition to the classic panel doors, glass doors have also been chosen in a more contemporary and simple style. The glass doors are made of unfinished pine and, like the panel doors, have brass door handles from Randi.
All panel doors are upgraded to modern sound and fire requirements and have an integrated door pump (concealed door closer).
The concealed hinges make the glass doors appear crisp and clean, which is in keeping with the spirit of the Moravian building style.
“We have chosen to use doors in a contemporary design where there were originally no doors. The architectural approach here is to be clear when we make choices that deviate from the original. We have chosen to use glass doors that are modern and allow for light and transparency between rooms,”
says building designer Peter Buchholt Petersen, Tegnestuen Mejeriet.
Historic doors with modern sound and fire requirements
The panel doors stand out sharply against the whitewashed walls and, in some places, friezes of exposed brickwork.
“The perfect thing is that everything seems so natural and simple. The wide frames are an example of just looking at the doors makes you happy. After all, the frames are plank frames. It’s a pleasure to watch”,
says building designer Peter Buchholt Petersen, Tegnestuen Mejeriet.
The Girls’ School in Christiansfeld was an architectural gem when it was built. It has now been restored to pay respect to the original in both form and function.
“The Moravians were known for their extremely skilled craftsmen and their strong focus on quality, design and collaboration. The Moravian Church emerged as a reaction against the pomp and splendor of Catholicism. They placed great emphasis on a simple faith with equal rights for all, including education for girls, and this was also reflected in their building style,”
explains structural engineer Peter Buchholt Petersen, Tegnestuen Mejeriet. The Moravian community emphasized building with function in mind, so even though they no longer own the Girls’ School, the spirit lives on. Aller Aqua Group has respectfully added a new function to the building, which today houses both private rentals, corporate rentals and meeting rooms used by Aller Aqua Group.
“I’m really happy with the result with the Girls’ School. We have been renovating Moravian houses in Christiansfeld for many years now, so it is a great satisfaction to see the Girls’ School renovated without compromising anything. It’s a huge win for the city that the new owners have been willing to take everything to this level. It’s pure philanthropy from Hans Erik and Grethe. When it comes to doors, it’s only natural to call Vahle. You know the recipe for making historic doors with modern sound and fire requirements, and luckily we know your phone number”.
Quote: Building Constructor Peter Buchholt Petersen, Tegnestuen Mejeriet.
Project details
Interested?
Contact us for a no-obligation quote.
See more options with panel doors
Classic panel doors produced according to traditional craftsmanship principles.
