Colour Transformation of Stairwell

In situ fresco painting and linoleum floors, reused railing and new newel posts

The project relates to the architectural framework: the staircase building, connecting the extension in 1960 with the original Cathedral School building from 1894.

New colours, forms and materials emphasize the dynamic movement up and down through the building and create references to the adjacent old historical building with its beautiful stairwell.

The intervention focuses on the staircase and railing as well as the four sides of the elevator tower. The new surfaces bring new colours and tactility into the space.

The front wall of the elevator tower has been expanded into a long vertical surface. The entire wall surfaces of the elevator tower are sand-plastered and a fresco painting is composed around its four walls on all four floors. The insitu-painting with transparent brush strokes is inspired by the unique historic heritage of fresco paintings in churches around Odense. 

4 colours of linoleum, one on each floor, continues down the staircase and stops where the next floor's colour takes over. In this composition, the exciting encounters between the colours are experienced - different from above and from below. It also functions as a kind of wayfinding.

The staircase railing in mahogany is a reuse of the old staircase railing, which has been sanded, varnished and adapted to the joints with the new newel posts, made of new mahogany. The top of the newel posts are painted in red/blue, same colours on the old staircase in the main building.

I addition to this work, artist Nat Bloch Gregersen will install her sculptures during 2025 and the total project will be completed and inaugurated summer 2025