Architect David Thulstrup standing in the stairwell, which is bathed in natural light thanks to the tall, narrow window; sculpture by Zhan Wang.
ART: Zhan Wang
The clients share a passion for Asian art, with a particular interest in Buddhism. They wanted their home to explore that ethos through a distinctly contemporary lens, pared-back yet packed with positivity. Thulstrup undertook a gut renovation, opening up the house’s four floors (previously, in his words, “a labyrinth”) and adding a rear extension, with broad windows to frame views of the city and bay. To link those levels, he replaced multiple discreet staircases with one continuous circular flight—a perfect timber spiral, its slatted railings giving way to solid balustrades at each landing. A narrow multistory window bathes the ascent in natural light, the glow shifting over the course of the day in step with the sun. Says Thulstrup: “It was about creating clarity and calmness through a very detailed, minimal language.”
Known for an unerring attention to detail, poetic use of materials, and intuitive sensitivity to scale, Thulstrup has long been a star in his native Denmark. Born and raised outside Copenhagen, he studied at The Royal Danish Design School, later cutting his teeth in Paris under Pritzker Prize winner Jean Nouvel and in New York working for AD100 Hall of Famer Peter Marino. If the former instilled in him an exacting, experimental spirit, the latter immersed him in contemporary luxury and craftsmanship. Risk and refinement now underpin Thulstrup’s own practice, founded in 2009. A favorite collaborator of leading Danish brands, he has designed showrooms for Georg Jensen, Dinesen, and Garde Hvalsøe; products for Reform, Møbel Copenhagen, and Brdr. Krüger; boutique lodgings for Vipp; and perhaps most famously, interiors for Noma.
The view from the rear terrace, where an antique Indian door encased in bronze is paired with a bespoke water fountain that, according to Feng Shui principles, helps circulate energy.
In the breakfast room, a Sam Falls artwork serves as a pastoral backdrop to a Poul Henningsen pendant lamp, Hans Wegner chairs, and a bespoke Onyx table.
ART: Sam Falls