News February 16, 2026
Documentary celebrates the 100th anniversary of Verner Panton – and showcases the newly restored Circus Building
Step into Verner Panton’s exceptional universe of colour – and “let the outside world wait for a while.” That is the nature of Verner Panton’s total environments: architecture, colour, light, and space merge into a parallel reality where the senses are heightened and the experience intensified.
To mark the 100th anniversary of Verner Panton, DR1 (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) is currently airing the documentary Verner Panton – A Danish World Star (documentary in Danish).
Architect Signe Baadsgaard from Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects takes part in the programme. She speaks about the work on the iconic Circus Building and the fruitful yet complex restoration process, in which heritage protection, cultural legacy, commercial interests, and design-historical responsibility had to be carefully balanced between the client, tenant, heirs, and public authorities.
The documentary also features, among others, members of Verner Panton’s family, producers, and his lawyer – all united in their efforts to manage and safeguard the legacy of the Danish legend.
In addition, Signe, Carin Panton von Halem, and colour experts provide insight into the colour-archaeological work that revealed the distinctive luminosity of Panton’s colours. Anecdotes and archival material further testify to Panton’s extraordinary talent for form, colour, and perception.
A tribute to a pioneer
The recreation of the colour scheme in the Circus Building is more than preservation. It is a tribute to a visionary pioneer who liberated colour and allowed architecture to speak directly to the body. Today, the interior of the Circus Building stands as the only preserved total installation by Verner Panton in Denmark.
