Henning Larsen

Utilizing existing urban space to bring nature closer to people living in cities is an essential aspect of urban design today. Taking advantage of our cities’ most underutilized resource, their rooftops, to create accessible green spaces offers a great solution for urban development. Comprising 2,000 m2 of outdoor space on the roof of the iconic Salling Department Store in Aarhus, the Salling Rooftop Garden transforms the building's 'fifth facade' into an urban oasis above the city skyline, creating a public space for relaxation and togtherness while setting the standard for increasing biodiversity in our cities. With lush vegetation throughout a range of pocket gardens, a biophilic wall draping down the façade, footbridges connecting different levels, glass walls and floors that look down into the department store, an outdoor restaurant, and a panoramic platform offering a breathtaking view of the entire city, Salling Rooftop Garden is growing into a beloved destination for tourists and locals alike. Learn more about the project here https://hnglr.sn/3XEgdQ5. Images by Martin Schubert and Francesco Galli.

Imagine if buildings could do more than just house people - what if they could also provide shelter and food for endangered wildlife? That’s exactly what we’re exploring as part of the Green Sponge Buildings project in Scandinavia! Right now, we’re testing a new habitat box designed for common swifts and ground bees. These tiny homes have just been installed at VIA University College, where we’ve placed one wooden box and one made of corten steel to complement the green façade. NB: The box for the ground bees (the one on the right) will be filled with sandy clay soil. What We’re Investigating: 🔍 Assess Habitat Suitability: Examine the environmental conditions within the habitat boxes, focusing on the influence of the surrounding avian microclimate (e.g., humidity, temperature variations) on their suitability for target species. 🌿 Enhance Ecological Integration: Investigate how plant selection can support the local ecosystem by providing essential foraging resources for wildlife, including common swifts and other species dependent on urban green infrastructure. 🏗 Architectural and Ecological Synergy: Develop green façades and habitat boxes that seamlessly integrate into the built environment, enhancing both ecological functionality and the aesthetic value of architectural design We recognize that this is only a small step toward improving local biodiversity. However, one of the fascinating aspects of this project is how living walls—through color contrast and their aesthetic properties—can influence our psychological perception of nature. This research is conducted by Dr. Petra Thorpert, a lecturer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). You can follow the project here: https://lnkd.in/d9GMkjNV or reach out to andrea mortensen if you want to learn more. A big thank you to all our partners for their collaboration: VIA University College, Østfold University College (HiØ), SLU - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, @Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat (NVE), IVL (Swedish Environmental Research Institute), and Ramboll. The project is co-funded by Interreg | https://lnkd.in/dE7nnvqS Henning Larsen / Ramboll team members: Martin Frank Petersen, Mie Højmose Dehlsen, Lars Olaf Møller-Hansen, Rasmus Palm Vestergaard and Martin Kielland. 

Our design for Downsview Framework Plan is onto its next steps of planning! Part of a team led by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., we have been shorlisted to reimagine the site's two-kilometre-long former runway. The competition and its guidelines will build on principles established by the Downsview Framework Plan, reimagining the 520-acre former airfield. Downsview is home to over 35,000 residents but is divided by roads, rail lines, and the former airport/airbase. The airbase's closure – which spans roughly the size of Toronto’s downtown – offers a big opportunity for the rapidly growing city. Our design honors the site’s history, transforming the runway into a green spine; a vibrant space for people, rather than planes. The project demands careful consideration of both current and future social and environmental challenges. Rooted in principles of circularity, decarbonization, and natural systems, the area’s urban infrastructure systems are designed to both mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, while supporting flexible and evolving uses, as well as advancing technology. Making space for experiences that spark joy, public places will be designed to bridge the area’s past and its future. Placemaking and place-keeping will reflect histories of Indigenous stewardship, acknowledge the legacy of aerospace innovation, and will be shaped by the dreams and cultures of the diverse residents who call Downsview home. We are honored to be shortlisted for the YZD Runway Design Competition and look forward to the next stages of the realization of Downsview. Curious to learn more? Find all the details here on the framework plan https://hnglr.sn/4aWXq5F. Read on about the competition here: https://hnglr.sn/4iWqP3T Special thanks to our competiton collaborators: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., HR&A Advisors, eDesign Dynamics, Lord Cultural Resources, Belleville Placemaking, Bruce Mau Design. Downview Framework Plan team: Northcrest Developments, Canada Lands Company / Société Immobilière du Canada, KPMB Architects, SLA, Urban Strategies Inc., Ramboll, Transsolar KlimaEngineering, Swerhun Inc., and Department of Words and Deeds. Visuals by Aesthetica.Studio.

Imagine going to secondary school here, in the heart of woodland in Kristiansand, Norway. At Lauvåsen Secondary School, nature is integral to the learning experience. Nestled at the edge of a preserved wetland, the school building occupies just 8% of the total site with space for native greenery, winding forest paths, and natural water systems. Designed with Scandinavian educational values in mind, the mass timber building prioritizes students' connection to their environment during their formative years. Learning extends beyond the classroom, winding paths weave through the landscape, linking the school with its recreational facilities and creating small pockets within the woods for exploration and play. Green roofs, stormwater gardens, and integrated landscapes merge, guide water through the schoolyard, connecting the stormwater system to the existing wetland and stream. Once complete, Lauvåsen Secondary School will welcome 375 students. Learn more about the project here: https://hnglr.sn/4iBK4jw Visuals by Vivid-Vision.

Does combatting biodiversity loss, developing water-sensitive design and making nature more accessible catch your attention? If so, you might be the perfect fit for our landscape architecture internship in Singapore! We’re looking for talented and ambitious interns ready to take on exciting challenges, share fresh ideas, and collaborate with a dynamic team of designers and engineers. You'll have the chance to contribute to cutting-edge projects, from restoring native freshwater swamp forests to developing water management solutions that revive ecosystems. Interested? Find all the details and apply here: https://hnglr.sn/4kC57nJ Photos of Jurong Lake Garden, Rifle Range Nature Park, and Kampung Admiralty by Finbarr Fallon and Lim Wei Xiang.

How can the design of academic spaces contribute to the well-being of students, teachers, and the larger community? Incorporating mass timber construction and detailed microclimate analyses, our proposal for the University of the Faroe Islands' campus extension is designed to be an optimal learning environment influenced by local heritage. After winning the competition, our team engaged a diverse range of perspectives through in-depth fieldwork, interviews, and workshops to guide the design of the new community building. To accomplish this, we brought Urban Minded - our social research project - to the campus setting, adapting its framework to establish a process-driven and impact-focused approach. This approach began with defining key challenges and desired user experiences, then identifying ways to create meaningful impact—both through spatial recommendations and strategies for the building’s future culture and activation. For more about our design approach: https://hnglr.sn/3VmD3d2. To find all the details about the project: https://hnglr.sn/3BC1YCl Visuals by plomp.

See you at Milan Design Week? We can't wait to offer you a glimpse into a future where architecture doesn’t just stand—it breathes, adapts, and evolves. Keep an eye out for upcoming updates. Politecnico di Milano MaterialBalance.Research RIMOND Rambøll Fonden / Ramboll Foundation Peter Oei Visual by Bold Scandinavia / NoA.

We’ve been nominated for the German Landscape Architecture Prize 2025! What happens when designers allow nature to take the lead? In Wangen, Germany, a decade-long effort to restore the Argen River has transformed both the landscape and the town’s connection to nature - earning us a nomination for the German Landscape Architecture Prize 2025. Once straightened and obstructed by barrages, the Argen had lost its natural rhythm. Today, thanks to careful restoration, the river flows freely again. Horseshoe bends, fish ladders, shallow water zones, and oxbow lakes have brought back biodiversity, while bioengineering techniques have strengthened the riverbanks, creating space for both nature and people to thrive. Now, the Argen is once again a central part of Wangen’s daily life—a place for walking, gathering, and quiet reflection. Even seasonal flooding is embraced as part of a resilient, self-sustaining system. Learn more about the project here https://hnglr.sn/3FoCI4p. In collaboration with Geitz & Partner, Stuttgart and Koch Ingenieure, Kempten.

Come join our team in Copenhagen! We're looking for ambitious interns across various disciplines. Whether you're interested in computational design, business development, architecture, landscape architetcure, life cycle assessment or constructing - we want to hear from you! Explore all open positions below and apply here https://hnglr.sn/3WmpY3N. Images by Zoey Kroening.

Exhibitions are temporary by nature. How can we embrace this and design spaces that can be easily disassembled and repurposed? Celebrating FRITZ HANSEN's 150-year anniversary at Copenhagen’s 3daysofdesign festival in 2022, we designed a 500 m² pavilion for the Danish furniture brand. The design follows an approach similar to that of the brand: prioritizing simplicity, natural elements, and high-quality materials. Built of wood with all its components constructed to be disassembled, the design ensured that waste was minimized – leaving no traces on site – and that all materials could be reused elsewhere. Following the festival, through the summer of 2022, the pavilion hosted a range of activities, from events and exhibitions to summer school programs and workshops introducing visitors to the design community. To learn more about the project, look here https://hnglr.sn/4ihqXLs. Images by Laura Stamer.