Danish architecture is defined by three terms – innovative, people-centric, and vibrant. Tracing its roots back to the military encampment of the Vikings in AD800 and progressing through the phases of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles, to Nordic functionalism and modernism, Danish architecture has upheld its legacy and emerged as a paragon in the contemporary world. In the post-war era, when modernism thrived, Danish architects Arne Jacobsen and Jørn Utzon made international waves.
Especially today, Denmark's efforts towards urban renewal and public planning, fostering community-building have positioned it as a pivotal influence. A quintessential part of Danish architectural ethos is the concept of "hygge," a term symbolizing a sense of well-being, coziness, and intimacy. This philosophy permeates every aspect of Danish design, with elements of natural light, space, water, and sustainability forming the pillars of contemporary architecture. The following list is a selection of 25 Danish architecture firms that continue to push the boundaries of design:
Founded by Bjarke Ingels in 2005, BIG is led by a team of partners working in offices around the world. 500+ professionals design and create from studios in Copenhagen, New York, London, Barcelona, and Shenzhen. The firm works around the globe with projects encompassing various scales and types, namely cultural, public spaces, commercial, and urbanism. BIG's architecture arises from a careful analysis of the perpetual evolution and fluidity of contemporary living.
C.F. Møller Architects is a Scandinavian firm boasting a decade-long legacy in the Nordic region and globally. It strives towards crafting architecture that is rooted in innovation, experience, and the values emblematic of the Nordic heritage. By integrating urban planning, landscape architecture, and specific building components in its designs, the firm drives to set new benchmarks on a global scale. Today, with approximately 350 employees, the firm's headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark serves as the nexus of its operations, aided by branches in Copenhagen, Aalborg, Oslo, Stockholm, Malmö, and Berlin.
Henning Larsen is a multidisciplinary design studio working in the areas of architecture, landscape, urbanism, interior architecture, graphics, and lighting design. Established in Copenhagen and operating globally, the firm follows a holistic and inquisitive approach to cultivating environments where innovative ideas thrive. Grounded in creativity and experimentation, the firm strives to make a lasting impact on communities and the surroundings.
4. Schmidt Hammer Lassen architects
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects is a well-recognized architecture firm based in Scandinavia. Founded in Aarhus, Denmark, back in 1986, the firm has extensive experience in designing libraries and other significant public and cultural landmarks worldwide. With offices in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Shanghai, it takes on diverse projects, spanning from cultural and educational institutions to office buildings, commercial complexes, retail spaces, and residential developments.
Founded in Aarhus, Denmark in 1986 by Kim Herforth Nielsen, Lars Frank Nielsen, and Hans Peter Svendler Nielsen, 3XN architects gained recognition for its ability to build structures with captivating aesthetics grounded in solid theoretical principles. The studio believes in placing people at the heart of architecture, forming it as the foundation for every project. 3XN works on an international scale, with a diverse team representing over 20 nationalities.
Established in 2006 by architect Dan Stubbergaard, Cobe has evolved into an international hub comprising over 150 committed professionals dedicated to crafting liveable cities, landscapes, and structures. Rooted in the Scandinavian design ethos, the studio engages with projects of all types and sizes, spanning from design objects and urban spaces to landscapes and buildings, as well as strategic development plans for districts and cities. The office is set within a warehouse in Copenhagen's Nordhavn, featuring raw concrete walls and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows offering picturesque views of the waterfront.
AART is a team of 300 architects, urban planners, civil engineers, designers and anthropologists working in Aarhus, Copenhagen, Roskilde, Frederikssund, Oslo and Stockholm. Its vision focuses on creating forward-looking cities, landscapes, and buildings that prioritize the well-being of individuals. AART believes in reshaping the way we think about architecture, not just in how we perceive and discuss it but also in strategically harnessing its potential to drive positive change worldwide. The firm has coined this transformative concept as "Redefining Architecture™."
ADEPT is an architectural collective based in Copenhagen, committed to crafting environments that prioritize human interaction and connectivity. Central to its ethos is the belief in prioritizing 'Place over Building,' viewing cities as dynamic organisms shaped by the interplay between individuals, functions, and spaces, rather than mere collections of isolated structures. The practice spans a diverse range of architectural domains, including urban planning, strategic development, building architecture, landscape design, and public space creation.
With 15 years of international experience across residential, hospitality, industrial design, and creative direction, Norm Architects strives to reintroduce a sense of touch to the constructed world. Established in 2008, the firm operates from Copenhagen, focusing on the practice of design to enhance human experiences. As versatile architects and designers, its approach aims to nurture well-being, distil aesthetics that harmonize with individuals and places, and establish systems that cater to universal human needs.
CEBRA is a Danish architectural and design firm, founded in 2001 by architects Mikkel Frost, Carsten Primdahl, and Kolja Nielsen in Aarhus. In 2017, architect Mikkel Hallundbæk Schlesinger joined the partnership alongside four associate partners. CEBRA strives to create architecture that resonates with people, projecting a deep understanding of project contexts and client requirements with a strong artistic vision. Apart from providing architectural services, CEBRA also specializes in user engagement, sustainability management, BIM and Parametric Design, and hosts an in-house R&D initiative named WISE, dedicated to advancing learning and working environments for the future.
Dorte Mandrup, founder and creative director, leads the studio into challenging projects to create a dialogue between context and architecture. Established in 1999, the firm has expanded to gain international recognition, undertaking projects of varying scales and geographical locations. Rooted in Scandinavian heritage, it prioritizes the human-scale elements in design solutions, aiming to create architecture that resonates with its surroundings and exhibits a distinctive material quality.
In 1969, a group of five architectural students - Lars Due, Michael Harrebek, Ole Nielsson, Erling Stadager, and Helge Tindal - came together to establish Arkitektgruppen Aarhus, a commune of architects. Over time, Arkitektgruppen Aarhus evolved, eventually rebranding as Arkitema Architects in 2003. With a vision to become a leading Scandinavian firm, the company merged with a Swedish architectural firm in 2011, and later in 2015, with a Norwegian architect's office. On January 1, 2019, Arkitema was acquired and integrated into COWI Holding A/S, a move that propelled further growth and introduced new disciplines such as infrastructure and energy to the firm's portfolio. With a team of 250 employees, Arkitema stands as one of Denmark's largest architectural practices.
13. Christensen & Co Architects
Christensen & Co. is an award-winning international architectural firm established in 2006 by Michael Christensen in Copenhagen, Denmark. With a focus on placing people at the forefront, the firm strives to create architecture that promotes social engagement. Embracing a holistic approach, it considers the environment, programming, and occupants as integral components shaping the character and essence of its architecture. Through close collaboration with the individuals inhabiting its buildings, the firm cultivates dynamic social spaces.
Cubo Arkitekter was founded in Aarhus in 1992 by architects Peter Dalsgaard, Bo Lautrup, Lars Juel Thiis, and Ib Valdemar. Today, Cubo is led by five owners: Sune Nielsen, Søren Marxen, Torben Schytt, Rune Riis, and Per Ravn. The team has around 60 employees, and its project portfolio consists of educational, cultural, religious, healthcare, commercial, and residential architecture. Transformation has been a significant part of the firm's work since the 1990s, with projects such as the transformation of the Orlogsværftet into the Holmen Artistic Education, DSB's central workshops in Aarhus, and Nordkraft, Aalborg's former power plant, into a multicultural hub. In fact, Cubo operates from Aarhus at Jyllandsgården, a formerly old printing hall of Jyllands-Posten transformed into its studio in 2003.
LINK arkitektur AS is among Scandinavia’s leading offices of architecture, with a staff of over 450 professional architects, landscape architects, interior designers, engineers and planners. LINK has a wide professional competence and major work capacity, which it has built through projects of many typologies. Its driving force is to create sustainable social architecture, increase people's quality of life and make projects profitable for its clients.
PLH Architects' mission is to enhance the framework of people's lives. Whether it is through designing office environments that promote well-being or crafting a station that is functional, clear, and safe to navigate, its aim is to improve the quality of life for users. For over 45 years, PLH has developed new methods and processes within user-driven design. Drawing on its clients' identity and values, the firm uses its many years of experience to create solutions of high architectural quality that also strike a balance between social, economic, and environmental factors.
EFFEKT is a design and research studio in Copenhagen, offering solutions and services on the built environment and the natural systems essential to human well-being. Comprising a team of ambitious professionals including designers, architects, urban planners, landscape architects, and various highly skilled specialists, it collectively engages in conceptualization and construction. Its project portfolio spans a wide spectrum, from urban plans to landscapes, public spaces, buildings, and objects. Employing a comprehensive and systematic design methodology, EFFEKT prioritizes human-scale design sensitivity and emphasizes the end-user experience in all its projects.
Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects is a leading Danish architectural office, providing architecture, urbanism, landscape, product and furniture design services. With more than 20 years of experience, Lundgaard & Tranberg has gained recognition through participation in competitions and completion of a wide range of projects. The office has also been involved in a series of research and pilot building projects focused on the development of building products and processes, with a focus on sustainable housing. Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects’ work has won various national and international awards and has been published in publications worldwide. The office has received the prestigious RIBA European Award for three consecutive years- in 2006 for the Copenhagen Business School faculty building, in 2007 for the Tietgen Dormitory, and in 2008 for the new Royal Playhouse in Copenhagen.
19. Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects
Since 1922, Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects has enhanced people's lives through functional architecture and design. Its work is rooted in the classic Nordic modernism dominated by an 'inside out' approach, where functionality, context, and spatiality drive the design process. Drawing upon the foundations and values of modernism, such as integrity, equality, and a strong sense of community, the practice has grown over the years to become one of Denmark's largest independent architectural firms. Despite its century-long history, it is adept at digitalization, engaging in development projects involving A.I. and blockchain. Located in Copenhagen's Nordhavn, the office inhabits a former warehouse with an open terrace, a virtual reality studio, a model workshop, and a material library.
Spacon & X is an award-winning design and architecture studio known for its interdisciplinary and exploratory approach. Founded a decade ago, the studio strives to create unexpected pieces, spaces, and experiences that unveil a world brimming with boundless possibilities. Its portfolio includes various projects, spanning from furniture products to interior design to larger architectural interventions. As a dynamic and collaborative studio, it employs unconventional design principles, intricate storytelling, and a focus on functionality to devise spatial solutions and brand experiences that exude creativity.
21. Nord Architects Copenhagen
NORD Architects was founded in 2003 by Johannes Molander Pedersen and Morten Rask Gregersen. Mia Baarup Tofte joined the partnership in 2017. It employs a multidisciplinary staff of urban planners, architects, landscape architects, process consultants, and academics within social and cultural studies along with technical staff. The firm actively takes part in conferences, public debates, exhibitions and publications on new architecture. In recent years, it has been involved in the design of educational and welfare-related buildings like schools, dementia villages, healthcare centres, co-existence neighbourhoods, sports facilities and urban spaces.
22. DISSING+WEITLING architecture
DISSING+WEITLING is a Copenhagen-based architecture studio that aims to create optimal spaces for human activity – at work, at home and in the public sphere. Its work is defined by user-centric solutions based on the physical, cultural and environmental context of each project. Its portfolio includes some of the world’s most spectacular bridges as well as administrative headquarters and residential areas.
Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter is an independent architectural firm with a high level of expertise and a distinct ideology. The firm is focused on interlacing a strong conceptual approach with experience from past accomplished projects. It has studios based in Norway and Denmark. The firm’s projects include Breitenbach Landscape Hotel, a holistic and ecotourism experience in Alsace - perched on the heights of an Alsatian village, the landscape hotel 48° Nord reinterprets the traditional Scandinavian place of retreat and reconnection with wild nature.
KHR Architecture is one of Denmark's oldest architectural studios, boasting a legacy of over 75 years. It offers comprehensive architectural services and counsel, ensuring professional integrity and excellence in every aspect. The firm prioritizes people-centric design, crafting innovative solutions poised for the future. With a diverse portfolio of award-winning projects, its team has approximately 75 employees at the Copenhagen headquarters and project offices domestically and internationally.
Studio Olafur Eliasson is a team of craftsmen, technicians, architects, historians, designers, filmmakers, chefs, and administrators, collaborating closely with founder Eliasson. Its primary operations include developing, production, and installation of art, projects, and exhibitions. Apart from its core activities, the studio also works in experimentation, archiving, research, publishing, and communications. While the studio has the capacity to produce artwork internally, it also collaborates with structural engineers and specialists globally. Furthermore, Studio Olafur Eliasson partners with cultural practitioners, policymakers, and scientists worldwide, hosting workshops and events to facilitate artistic and intellectual exchanges with individuals and institutions beyond the sphere of art.
The '25 best firms' series is curated by the Archello editorial team. The selection is based on a number of factors including the number of shortlisted and winning entries in the Archello Awards, the number of projects a firm has uploaded to its Archello profile, the number of projects that have been featured by Archello, as well as the size and quality of the projects included in each firm's Archello portfolio.
