ROBERTA’S SOCIETY HOSTEL

ROBERTA’S SOCIETY – A HOUSE WITH A NEW SOUL
When Aarhus’ former main library from the 1930s stood empty after the move to DOKK1, the building was simply waiting to rediscover its own voice. Now it has been reborn as Roberta’s Society – a house uniting culture, gastronomy, hospitality and storytelling under one architectural roof.

The transformation clearly bears the mark of Alexander Kølpin’s distinctive sense of atmosphere and historical awareness. Known for hotels such as Helenekilde, Tisvildeleje and Sanders, Kølpin has once again created a place where architecture invites community and experience. Roberta’s is not merely a hostel, but an urban cultural venue – a stage for everything city life has to offer.

The architectural approach takes its cue from the building’s original functionalist structure, where proportions, rhythm and daylight are preserved and newly interpreted. The interior is intimate and richly layered – inspired by American Art Deco and classic library spaces. Here, materiality and detailing carry the narrative: every element contributes to the experience of both the building’s history and its new vitality.

The storytelling unfolds most vividly in the floor composition. Using Forbo’s Marmoleum Real in the colours Henna Red, Bottle Green and light Sand, a dynamic rhythm emerges, bound together by a hand-cut meander border. The floor pattern flows through the lobby and mezzanine, emphasizing the building’s main axes with timeless and elegant restraint.

The design was developed from Kølpin’s own concept and executed with great precision by Gunnar Svendsen Gulve from Kvistgaard – a long-standing partner on Kølpin’s projects. The Marmoleum tiles, cut to a 300 x 300 mm format, were laid with millimetre precision, allowing the material’s natural depth and matte glow to enhance the character of the space.

The result is a floor that does more than carry the room – it continues its story: a meeting between classical geometry and contemporary sensibility. It stands as an architectural gesture demonstrating how materials and craftsmanship can create identity and presence.

Roberta’s Society has become a new gathering point in Aarhus – a place for travellers, creatives and locals alike. A house where people tend to stay a little longer than planned. As the Eagles once sang: “You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”