The Epicurus restaurant and jazz club in central Copenhagen, designed by the internationally acclaimed architecture and design studio GamFratesi, is an immersive sensory house where world-class gastronomy, live music, and classical craftsmanship converge. Housed within a historic former military gymnasium originally built for the Danish Queen’s guards on Rosenborggade, the venue is divided into two distinct experiential worlds under one roof. The interior narrative takes its foundational soul from the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, whose teachings centered on pleasure, community, and the art of living. This philosophical concept translates visually into references from traditional Greek pottery, where lively scenes of celebration, music, and conviviality were depicted in contrasting lines against dark backdrops. In the downstairs jazz club, GamFratesi reinterpreted this ancient motif in a contemporary Nordic context by lining the walls with dark smoked oak panels featuring intricate, hand-finished wood marquetry inlays that depict abstract figures of dancers and musicians. These wooden surfaces are treated with oil instead of lacquer by local craftsmen to emphasize a natural, matte material texture. To ensure exceptional sound quality and acoustic performance during live sets, the jazz room integrates an acoustic ceiling alongside premium upholstered seating, specifically the thin-legged Beetle and Violin chairs designed by the studio for Gubi. A striking travertine bar anchors the lower room, which transitions seamlessly into the upstairs restaurant via a custom, multi-toned white and grey travertine console. The upper dining room restores the venue's existing historical woodwork, repainting the architectural details in warm, soft tones to complement the darker wood profiles below. The culinary spaces balance this moody shell with custom geometric tables crafted from natural wood and upholstered banquettes that invite shareable, French-infused Nordic dining. The entire lighting environment was developed in close collaboration with the historic Danish brand LYFA, featuring bespoke wall sconces, pendants, and table lamps from the Ryff, Toton, and Noote collections created specifically for the project to shape a warm, intimate, and theatrical glow that brings people closer together
