The 4 May College on Hasserisgade is both home to 44 students and a living memorial where everyday life, shared meals, and historical awareness are closely intertwined. The aim of the renovation has been to renew a technically worn-out building without compromising the scale, atmosphere, and social structure that make the college unique.

The project upgrades the more than 70-year-old building both technically and in terms of energy performance, improving the indoor climate, bathrooms, kitchens, and shared facilities, while transforming the semi-basement level into bright new spaces for recreation and activities with direct access to the terrace and garden. Respecting the building’s history and its 1950s character, the renovation has been carried out with a strong focus on preservation, reuse, and durable solutions, ensuring that the college can continue to serve as a living memorial for future generations of students.

A technical and spatial upgrade

The façades, roof, and radiator recesses have been upgraded with additional insulation, while a balanced mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery improves air quality in both student rooms and shared spaces. Kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms have been updated with robust, contemporary solutions, and new fire-rated, acoustically insulated doors enhance comfort.

Throughout the circulation areas, a restrained palette of colours and materials, including smoked oak, references the building’s original period. The reuse of bricks, rooflights, and paving stones reflects the project’s resource-conscious approach, preserving original materials wherever their quality and condition allowed.