--- title: "Kannikegården, C48" url: "https://www.stylepark.com/en/petersen-tegl/kannikegården-c48" language: "en" type: "product" description: "Kannikegården, C48 - Designer Brick / Clinker brick facades by Petersen Tegl ✓ Comprehensive product & design information ✓ Catalogs ➜ Get inspired now" published: "2015-02-02T00:00:00+01:00" modified: "2026-06-23T11:54:25+02:00" image: "https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_1410xAUTO_fit_center-center_90_none/31A6225.jpg" --- [![](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/articles/PT_pos.png)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/manufacturer/petersen-tegl) # Petersen Tegl Kannikegården, C48 Year of design: 2016 ![Kannikegården, C48](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/31A6225.jpg) [Exterior walls / Facades](https://www.stylepark.com/en/products/exterior-walls-facades) **›** [Facades](https://www.stylepark.com/en/products/facades) **›** [Brick / Clinker brick facades](https://www.stylepark.com/en/products/brick-clinker-brick-facades) **Kannikegården – adding a contemporary layer to the culture and history of Ribe** Kannikegården beautifully reiterates the qualities of the medieval old town but is also surprisingly radical. It’s a long time since anything modern was built in the middle of Ribe. How do you adapt to such a sensitive setting without succumbing to pastiche? How do you ensure that any new building fits in with its surroundings but still manages to reflect its own era, just as the older ones reflect their various eras? Few studios are able to master this balancing act quite as well as Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects – and Kannikegården in Ribe is a prime example of their expertise. The building’s rustic-red brick silhouette looks sharp and precise from whichever narrow alleyway you happen to view it. But as you get closer, you are struck by the coarseness of the finish. Like an armadillo with oversized scales, its coat of brick armour dangles and vibrates in the sunlight, with tolerances of up to several centimetres! In this way, it is just like the surrounding medieval buildings, whose quirks and crooked bits endow Ribe with its organic, historic air. Kannikegården is on the square in Ribe, opposite the cathedral. It houses facilities for the parish council and cathedral staff, as well as exhibition space and a 100-seat lecture theatre. During the excavation work on the site, archaeological remains were found of the cloisters, built in 1100 and possibly the earliest brick building in Denmark. The find was a sensation, and another testament to Ribe’s historical significance. The ruins were excavated in 2012 and a preservation order served on them right away. They are believed to be the remains of the refectory wall. This posed challenges for the construction project, but a donation from Realdania paid for the ruins to be integrated into the new building as a monument to the past. **A new era’s tectonics** “We wanted the new building to be clearly differentiated from the original tectonics,” says architect Erik Frandsen of Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects. In lay terms, this was a matter of developing a light brick cladding to hover just out from the heavy brick monastery walls as a contrast to them. Brick shells are not that light, however. The 35x63 cm shells weigh over 60 kg each, i.e. substantially more than the old bricks used by the monks. However, from a distance, the clinker-clad surface does look light compared to the historic brick buildings around it. Close up, the irregularities of the granulated brick plates is obvious, echoing the crooked medieval buildings, in which tolerances were measured in inches. The elongated building runs along the south side of the square. A sluice links the building to the medieval procession route, which starts from the west. An open glass façade stretches the entire length of the ground floor, while the rest of the facades, gables and roofs are covered with large brick shells. Its proximity to the houses on Sønderportsgade to the south dictated that the building had to be tapered slightly towards the west, leaving a diagonal incision in the roof. This characteristically crooked look contributes to the touching sense of kinship between architecture that is so prevalent throughout Ribe, where all of the buildings have had to adapt to their neighbours over time. “The crooked look was decisive for the choice of the size of the brick shells,” says Erik Frandsen. The shells had to be relatively large to be able to “sew” them together elegantly along the edge of the roof and avoid the need for even larger custom-built sizes. The “stitching” along the crooked incision is full of character, and resembles the zigzag ‘raking course’ patterns seen in some of the old gabled houses nearby. Other striking details include the small square windows dotted unevenly around the façades and surrounded by large tile shells. This creates an uneven pattern of dark shadows that breaks up the monolithic air of the façades, just as the brick chapels on the nearby cathedral are brought to life by their vertical recesses. Wisely, the gutter has been hidden behind a cornice-like band of brick shells, suspended on steel brackets, a band that seems to hang on to the shells above, and clearly defines the transition to the glass-covered bottom part of the new building. **Bricks are alchemy** “Firing bricks is a kind of alchemy,” says Erik Frandsen. Using mock-ups, the architects were able to make decisions about colour on the site. Tiny adjustments to the oxygen supply in the ovens at Petersen Tegl eventually resulted in just the right mix of rustic red hues to blend the new building in with its surroundings. Up close, the shells bear all the blemishes and hallmarks of the production processes, just like the bricks used by the monks centuries before. The tradition of handmade, coal-fired brick continues here in the big, partly handmade shells. The historical context is further emphasised by the fact that these kinds of shells are known to have been around in the Middle Ages, when big flat tiles or “pans” were used for roofing. The pans on the cathedral opposite are evidence of the original roof on the medieval church. **Ribe counts in feet not millimetres** Two-tier constructions, i.e. when architects want to work with an open ground floor and closed upper storeys, often pose serious problems. Lundgaard & Tranberg came up with the solution of using coarse, tarred oak planks as movable vertical slats fitted with pins. On entering the building, visitors encounter the same twisted oak planks in the ceiling of the room housing the old ruins.“In the Middle Ages, everything was measured in feet, not millimetres,” says architect Erik Frandsen. This means that the new addition could not be too refined in its detail. This attitude is reflected not only in the brick and woodwork, but in the concrete forms on the load-bearing columns and the walls that encircle the ruins. The shuttering here is deliberately sloppy, with wedges inserted between the boards so that the concrete bulges and the surfaces are uneven.“The building has multiple cultural and historical layers,” says Frandsen, “from the bricks that grow out of the ground to the layered concrete and boards in the ceiling.” With this in mind, the gravel flooring in the ruins may seem a little too well-groomed and sterile. A different surface should be discussed when the decision is hopefully reached to open the room to the public rather than visits being by appointment with the verger. **An architect needs to know the priorities** The interior of the new building could be described as toned-down coarseness. From the narrow foyer, an oak staircase swings its way up to the first floor, its path marked by solid, steel-clad vertical oak stakes. The inner wall of the staircase is painted dark red, while the first-floor corridor is in ochre. This scheme extends to the second floor, where the lecture theatre’s interior roof surfaces are in plain dark red. The distinctive, slightly cavernous colours are inspired by the frescoes in the cathedral, where earth colours dominate. The offices, which are dimly lit by small square windows, are painted white to maximise the available light and make for a pleasant working environment. Despite limitations in terms of both budget and space, the architects have managed to create quite comfortable working areas. The priority was to make use of real oak floors, warm wall and ceiling colours, and a slightly surprising use of wall-mounted lighting that projects rhythmic cones of light up the walls and corresponding semicircles onto the ceilings. And then, of course, there is the plasterboard with holes on the ceiling, so that the painted surfaces look neither completely dead, nor completely disconnected from the ruins and the living exterior. Although painted plasterboard might seem a far cry from the exterior textures, it manages to create a link between the inner and outer that, by contemporary standards, is highly successful. Ribe has every reason to be proud of its beautiful new landmark building, which completes the long-awaited regeneration of the area around the cathedral – another key element of which is Schønherr’s brilliant new square, which is well worth a visit in its own right. Kannikegården, new church hall, Ribe, DK Developer: Ribe Domsogns Menighedsråd Contractor: Kim Christensen Architect: Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter A/S Archaeology: South-west Jutland Museums Engineering, construction and construction management: Oesten ingeniører og arkitekter Aps Engineering, plumbing and electricity: Esbensen Rådgivende Ingeniører A/S Landscape architect: Schønherr A/S Funding for landscape project: Realdania Brick: C48 in the special edition designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg, dimensions: 630 x 350 mm. D48, walls. ![Kannikegården, C48](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/31A6193.jpg) - [Manufacturer's Product-Info](http://de.petersen-cover.dk/) - [Manufacturer's website](https://www.petersen-tegl.dk/) All Cover™ products - [![C56](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_350x225_crop_center-center_none/COVER_C56.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/petersen-tegl/c56) - [![C11](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_350x225_crop_center-center_none/C11_2.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/petersen-tegl/c11) - [![C71](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_350x225_crop_center-center_none/COVER_C71-2017-Coated.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/petersen-tegl/c71) - [![Kannikegården, C48](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_350x225_crop_center-center_none/31A6225.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/petersen-tegl/kannikeg%C3%A5rden-c48) - [![C48](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/d/delightfull/produkte/a/acerbis/produkte/d/delightfull/produkte/p/petersen-tegl/produkte/petersen-cover-c48/_350x225_crop_center-center_none/petersen-cover-c48-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/petersen-tegl/c48) - [All products by Petersen Tegl @ Stylepark](https://www.stylepark.com/en/products/manufacturer/petersen-tegl) - [Petersen Tegl @ Stylepark](https://www.stylepark.com/en/manufacturer/petersen-tegl) Petersen Tegl Related Articles [FEATURED Building up 5/5/2025 Thanks to bricks from Petersen Tegl, the façade of the new assembly hall at the historic Elise Smiths Skole in Aarhus blends seamlessly into the existing structure.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-architecture-bricks-elise-smiths-skole-aarhus-stylepark-magazine) [FEATURED The Anatomy of a Hotel 9/6/2024 A university building from 1908 was carefully refurbished and transformed into a boutique hotel with a special charm: Thanks to custom-made bricks by Petersen Tegl, a relief-like façade was created for an extension that forges a link between the historic building and its new function.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-pillows-grand-boutique-hotel-amsterdam-office-winhov-stylepark-magazine) [FEATURED Tiles for Cambridge 4/2/2024 Three in One: Tiles by Petersen Tegl have been used for a new building on the banks of the River Cam. By using different colors from the company’s "Cover" collection, the architects have succeeded in making the "Mill House" appear like three smaller structures that blend in with their surroundings.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-cambridge-mill-house-brick-architecture-mcw-architects-stylepark-magazine) [FEATURED PROJECT Fabric of brick 3/1/2023 With the extension of the De Lakenhal Museum in the Dutch city of Leiden, Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven has succeeded in creating a multi-layered architectural link. The individual elements of the overall ensemble are connected with bricks delivered by Petersen Tegl.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-ziegel-happel-cornelisse-verhoeven-museum-de-lakenhal-stylepark) [FEATURED In the Eye of the Storm 12/24/2022 Hectic hustle and bustle, noisy announcements, a babble of voices – airports are places of transit. A place of silence in the midst of all the commotion has been provided by gmp Architekten and Petersen Tegl at the Berlin Brandenburg Airport.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-gmp-architects-airport-berlin-brandenburg-sort-of-still-brick-kolumba-stylepark) [FEATURED Modern church vault 3/15/2022 For the extension of Drayton Green Chapel in London, Piercy&Company added a brick structure to an old chapel that skillfully interlocks with the existing building. Bricks from Petersen Tegl were used for this project.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-church-london-stylepark) [FEATURED From large to small 12/1/2021 The extension for the Ås campus in Norway skilfully mediates between the existing buildings and the adjacent nature. Its facade with bricks from Petersen Tegl convinces with finely tuned details.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-facade-campus-norway-stylepark) [FEATURED Elegant journey back in time 6/25/2021 Petersen Tegl provided the cladding for a new skyscraper in Manhattan with hand-crafted bricks that lend the concrete building an unusual elegance.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-ddg-partners-180e88-new-york-city) [FEATURED PROJECT A Symphony in Brick 3/30/2021 With diamond-shaped bricks in a hue specially designed for the project, Petersen Tegl is outfitting the extension to the Z33 House for Contemporary Art in Hasselt, Belgium with a façade that is exceptional in every respect.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-z33-diamond) [ARCHITECTURE New Stylepark building receives the German Brick Award 2021 2/16/2021 NKBAK's new Stylepark building in Frankfurt am Main has been awarded the renowned German Brick Award.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/german-brick-prize-nkbak-stylepark) [FEATURED As far as the eye can see 5/13/2020 Long Island offers a quiet oasis near the center of New York City along the Atlantic coast. Toshihiro Oki has built a holiday home in this natural setting with bricks by Petersen Tegl, which softens the transitions.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-long-island-bellport-house-toshihiro-oki) [FEATURED Crowned with bricks 3/23/2020 With the redevelopment of the Stadthöfe in Hamburg, David Chipperfield Architects Berlin have created a new, atmospheric district. Bricks by Petersen Tegl play a crucial role in the transformation of the roof structure.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-hamburg-stadthoefe-david-chipperfield-architects-berlin) [FEATURED House on the hillside 4/17/2019 A house on the isle of Rennesøy in Norway’s island fringe has been fitted out with bricks by Petersen Tegl that blend visually with the rock face.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-ziegel-norway) [FEATURED Close-knit 9/19/2018 With bricks by Petersen Tegl, Praksis Arkitekter have gently slotted a new building into the historic district of Carlsberg in Copenhagen.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-toothed-d71-brick) [FEATURED Villa Incognito 10/30/2017 Architecture studio Joep Mollink has clad a building in Haarlem in the Netherlands with Petersen Tegl’s new brick product – the “Petersen Cover”.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-incognito-brick) [FEATURED Dorm with a view 7/24/2017 C.F. Møller Architects chose Petersen Tegl bricks for the façade of a student dorm.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-tegl-c.f.-moller-architekten-campus-kollegiet) [ARCHITECTURE The brick-makers at Nybøl Nor 2/24/2017 Christian Petersen is not just any old brick-maker. He loves a good joke, has a sharp mind and a big heart. And today anyone wanting something special will invariably contact Petersen Tegl. Peter Zumthor knows this full well, as do architect the world over.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/the-brick-makers-at-nyb%C3%B8l-nor) [FEATURED Striking interaction 1/30/2017 Petersen Tegl has clad the new Kunstmuseum Basel building in a brick façade with fine reliefs – and it corresponds with the main building.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-art-museum-basel-bricks) [FEATURED Contemporary, with a historical twist 12/6/2016 With a handcrafted clinker silhouette the long-standing Petersen Tegl company has succeeded in integrating a new parish hall into Denmark’s oldest town.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/petersen-clinker-denmark-ribe) [FEATURED The right tone 6/20/2016 Kjaer og Richter opted for underground exhibition zones and a new build boasting oscillating Petersen Tegl bricks as the annex to the CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/the-right-tone) [FEATURED Water-struck bricks 4/28/2016 For the new museum building of the European Hansemuseum in Lübeck the architects selected a double-skin façade featuring bricks by Petersen Tegl.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/water-struck-bricks) [FEATURED Bricks from top to bottom 11/4/2014 For the extension of a museum in Sorø, Denmark, the architects chose bricks by Petersen Tegl and even used them to clad the roof.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/bricks-from-top-to-bottom) [FEATURED Organic brickwork 9/1/2012 When designing Hebsgaards Have, Lendager Arkitekter + Arcgency opted for red and grayish-black bricks by Petersen Tegl.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/organic-brickwork) [FEATURED Ideas need to mature – “Kolumba” tiles as design elements 3/28/2012 There are two residential buildings in Denmark made of the same bricks: "Kolumba", which Peter Zumthor developed in 2007 for the eponymous art museum of the Archdiocese of Cologne.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/ideas-need-to-mature-kolumba-tiles-as-design-elements) [FEATURED Like a bit of brick? - Reiach and Hall administrative building in Scotland 12/25/2011 For the new Dundee City Hall the pure "D71" coal-fired bricks by Petersen Tegl were chosen.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/like-a-bit-of-brick-reiach-and-hall-administrative-building-in-scotland) [FEATURED In the morning dew at the port - The New Royal Theatre in Copenhagen by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects 6/14/2011](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/in-the-morning-dew-at-the-port-the-new-royal-theatre-in-copenhagen-by-lundgaard-tranberg-architects) [FEATURED Handmade, the traditional way 10/28/2010 At the Danish company Petersen Tegl, the seventh generation is now producing high-grade bricks as well as a special range of molded bricks, glazed tiles and special terracotta.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/handmade-the-traditional-way) [FEATURED The brick avant-garde 10/26/2009 The KolumbaTM brick was developed in collaboration with Swiss architect Peter Zumthor for the new Kolumba museum building in Cologne. It is a handcrafted coal-fired brick.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/the-brick-avant-garde)