Decoration

The Post & Telegraph’s administration buildings comprised 37.000 m2 divided up into four sections. Poul Gernes decorated two of these, each 8000 m2. (The other two were decorated by Paul Gadegaard and Per Arnoldi). Thus, area-wise, this is one of the very large Gernes decorations. 

In Telegade 1 all stencil-painting was done directly on the white wall. In Telegade 2, which was done two year later in 1986, the decoration was colour-on-colour, which appeared more thorough. 

After our visit in 2009, Ulrikka Gernes noted in technical language: 

“Telegade 1: Recurrent features are large, stylized stencil-leaves and symbols. The belly band runs relatively high-up. Large leaf formations on wall surfaces in light niches that extend over two floors and can thus be seen from the third-floor inner balcony. A kind of modular division with a thin vertical blue line from the ceiling is presumably the width of the paper stencils. The stencil motifs were then placed within two module lines. This would in any case make the job of placing the stencils somewhat easier. Linoleum floors in two blue colours, separated by a thin red welding wire. Stairways with leaf stencils and maxims on ledges and landings.”