Designed by Danish architects Arne Jacobsen and Flemming Lassen, it was completed in 1942.
The main entrance, made almost completely of glass, is located on the corner of the front building and is complemented by the four large windows of the lofty council chamber diagonally across the facade to the west.
The complex is built in reinforced concrete, faced in marble from Porsgrunn in Norway, with a copper-plated roof.
When it was opened in 1942, its chairs, desks, lamps and textiles were all designed by Arne Jacobsen.
Comprehensive restoration work was completed in 2003, taking full account of the original design and the materials used.