Cousins Indekshuset

Client: Höegh Eiendom

In the iconic Indekshuset at Solli plass, Cousins Café has finally opened its doors to the public. At the heart of the initiative is a café concept that combines quality with social and environmental sustainability. Cousins combine integration and job training with freshly baked goods and coffee. Through the café, young people with refugee backgrounds gain work experience, Norwegian language training, and a social network in Oslo. Commissioned by Höegh Eiendom, Odd Thorsen was responsible for space planning and furnishing the café. For Cousins, we restored vintage Norwegian design classics from the building’s era and combined them with furniture made from reused materials. The tables were specially designed for Cousins Indekshuset and crafted from repurposed filing cabinets and leftover oak trims. The leather poufs were stitched together from offcuts. The existing counter was kept, with minor adjustments to suit the new operations. The result is an exclusive, site-specific and high quality interior. Odd Thorsen AS and Cousins work in different fields but share the same core values: sustainability through quality. Together, we demonstrate how social and environmental sustainability can be united through a strong product and a clear identity.