Caspar Frederik Harsdorff (1735–1799) became professor of perspective at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1766.

In 1770 he succeeded Nicolas-Henri Jardin (1720–1799) as royal building master and the following year he took over his residence in the south wing of Charlottenborg Palace.

It was then based at Christiansborg Palace and the Yellow Mansion in Amaliegade until its new building at Asiatisk Plads was completed in 1983.

Caspar Frederik Harsdorff favoured French classicism inspired by ancient Greece and Rome.

[9] The odd-shaped corner site inspired Harsdorff to build a property with three different model facades.