VEGA is truly a historical gem. This building has witnessed so much life. It has been enjoyed, used, worn down, loved, hated, rebuilt and well and truly partied in.
If the walls of the building could talk, generations of great speeches, secretive whispering, crazy discussions and spine-tingling vocals would form a myriad of stories from a building that has brought together Copenhageners, musicians, politicians, artists, party people, great and small across seven decades.
The stories pour out of architect Vilhelm Lauritzen's perfectionist wooden panels, and make VEGA one of Denmark's most magical venues.
VEGA is a building that offers a multitude of amazing experiences. The building's journey from its heyday to decline, from threats of demolition to being made a listed building is in itself a fascinating piece of Danish history, and on closer inspection, you'll notice the building is an impressive architectural achievement.
The Danish architect Vilhelm Lauritzen, who is also behind Radiohuset (1940) and the old airport terminal (1939), designed Folkets Hus (The People's House) for the labour movement, which opened its doors for the first time in 1956.
The house served as an all-inclusive meeting place for the labour movement until the early 1990s, when it was forced to close.
Vilhelm Lauritzen designed everything in building with incredible perfectionism. Doorknobs, chandeliers, sockets, furniture, the large beautiful halls, the detailed wood panelling and friezes and the legendary maze-like staircases.
The entire building is a showcase of his sense of quality, aesthetics and excellent craftsmanship. He truly understood the value of detail and design. Everything has been perfectly considered down to the smallest detail.
With the construction of Folkets Hus in 1956, the labour movement drew a line under who set the agenda in Denmark in the 20th century. The building's facade proudly and blantantly expressed that it was constructed from reinforced concrete and glass. It had a deliberate absence of ornaments, trinkets, antique columns and carved marble.
In 1994, it became a listed building with great help from artist Bjørn Nørgaard and former and now deceased Minister of the Environment, Svend Auken. Among other things, Bjørn Nørgaard has called the building 'The Sistine Chapel at Vesterbro'. There were previous plans to convert the buidling into a supermarket. Luckily these never worked out.
In September 1996, VEGA opened as a concert venue in connection with the City of Culture year 1996. VEGA is one of the few remaining cultural projects from the City of Culture '96.
Today, VEGA has three concert halls and three more halls and is visited by approximately a quarter of a million guests every year.
We regularly arrange guided tours of VEGA that focus on the building's architecture and colourful history.
