Serving as a stronghold for the Danish labour movement for many decades, the house first opened its doors in 1956. When the labour movement ended in the early 1990s, The People’s House was left to decay.

The Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard visited the abandoned house a few years later, and in collaboration with the previous Danish Minister for the Environment, Svend Auken, they succeeded in getting the the house listed in 1994. Effectively making The People’s House the youngest listed building in Denmark. After an extensive restoration, the building reopened its doors in 1996 and welcomed the music venue VEGA – The People’s House, which hosts around 350 concerts annually.

A functionalist masterpiece

As a true aesthete, Vilhelm Lauritzen placed great emphasis on quality and craftsmanship, with The People’s House being living proof of a functionalist masterpiece. The basic principles of functionalism are reflected in the outdoor colonnade, which serves a practical purpose by protecting evening guests from rain. The dark wood panelling, mahogany floors and friezes make the building an architectural gem in classic Scandinavian style.

In addition to the building itself, Vilhelm Lauritzen also designed all the interiors, including the door handles, chandeliers, wall sockets, furniture, wood panelling, labyrinthine staircases and so on. Each individual design is a unique and integral part of the building that add to the overall atmosphere of the The People’s House. The exterior of the building is comprised of a three-story façade relief, designed by artist Dan Sterup-Hansen, which today is recognized as a distinctive landmark in Copenhagen's Vesterbro neighbourhood.