Project Name: Højvangen Church

Location: Skanderborg, Denmark

Design Team: Henning Larsen + espen surnevik

Total Floor Area: 1500 m²

Completion: 2024

Photography: Rasmus Hjortshøj】

Engineering: Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl, Ramboll

Landscape Architecture: Schul Landskab & Planlægning

Client: Skanderborg Parish

Feature:

Project - Danish architecture studio Henning Larsen completed a revolutionary contemporary church building in Skanderborg, redefining the role of the church in modern society through innovative non-directional spatial design and sophisticated light manipulation. Højvangen Church marks the first new church built in the parish for over half a millennium, representing a striking exception in an era marked by church closures and increasing secularization.

Strategically located on the outskirts of Skanderborg, Denmark, this 1500-square-meter building honors Danish architectural heritage while embracing contemporary ideas of community and spirituality. The church's most distinctive feature lies in its centripetal layout design, with the baptismal font positioned at the absolute center of the building rather than at the traditional altar end. This central placement allows views to open in all directions——toward the forest, cemetery, and old church tower——reinforcing the idea of the church as a "civic clearing" rather than a directional space.

Henning Larsen's ingenious spatial solution challenges traditional church layouts, creating a flexible interior space without formal front or back that feels both open and intimate yet sacred. The surrounding walls shift between solid and transparent, forming pockets of privacy that balance openness with intimacy, and community with personal reflection. This adaptable "clearing" can accommodate a wide variety of events, designed to include everyone.

The building's gently undulating façade invites in shifting natural light throughout the day. Permeable walls filter and shape this light to create a dynamic interplay of shadow and atmosphere, making the architecture itself part of the spiritual experience. Materials such as brick, oak, and brass create a warm, timeless atmosphere. From the outside, the church appears as a sculpted pavilion set into the landscape, connected to the existing church center by a partially underground corridor.

Most notably, the project extends Henning Larsen's design philosophy into furniture design, with the studio partnering with Danish furniture maker Brdr. Krüger to design a new stackable church chair named Ekko. The chair combines elegance with durability and is certified to the highest EU standard (L2) for extreme use, marking Henning Larsen's return to furniture design after 60 years.

Design Team - Founded in 1959 by Danish architect Henning Larsen, Henning Larsen has established its international reputation for mastery in daylight manipulation and sustainable design excellence. Under the current leadership of Managing Director Jacob Kurek——who began as an intern in 1997 and has guided the firm's global expansion for nearly three decades——Henning Larsen continues to push boundaries across architecture, landscape, urban design, and interiors.

The studio's design philosophy centers on manipulating daylight as a tangible material, earning founder Henning Larsen recognition as "the master of light" within the architectural community. This light-centric approach, rooted in the founder's childhood experiences in Western Jutland, remains a defining characteristic of the practice's contemporary work. The architects maintain acute attention to detail whilst never losing sight of the bigger picture.

The firm maintains a global presence with over 600 employees, with design communities spread across studios in eight countries. Their portfolio demonstrates exceptional versatility, spanning cultural institutions, educational facilities, and urban masterplans while consistently emphasizing environmental responsibility and social impact. The studio is committed to navigating the complex connections that bind together built environment, ecological systems, and societies at large, manifesting lasting change through co-creation, innovation, and cultivation.

Henning Larsen's design excellence has been recognized through prestigious accolades including the 2012 Præmium Imperiale Architecture Laureate, the 2013 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture——Mies van der Rohe Award for Harpa Concert Hall, and the 2019 European Architect of the Year Award. Since joining the Ramboll Group in 2019, Henning Larsen has further strengthened its commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainable innovation——united by shared Nordic legacies, focus on knowledge and social responsibility, and mission to craft sustainable societies where people and nature flourish.