Over the years, Simon has played an important role in shaping some of the studio’s most significant projects, and next year he will celebrate his 25th anniversary here. In this interview, he reflects on the experiences, traditions and communities that have influenced his professional path – and on why it is still important to nurture a culture that has endured for more than a century.

Working closely on major projects over many years must offer valuable insights. What have those experiences taught you?

"I worked on both The Niels Bohr Building and the New North Zealand Hospital for five to six years – from when we won the competition to the final tender design. On both projects, I was involved in the programming phase, working closely with the users: professors, researchers, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. To me, it was fascinating to gain real insight into their world and develop a deeper understanding of their expertise and the ambitions that drive their work.

That also meant understanding the specific needs and technical requirements needed to support the complex functions of the buildings – and then using that knowledge to piece together the many elements that create the best possible setting for their work and everyday activities."

What do you value most in the projects you have been a part of?

"On the New North Zealand Hospital, we collaborated with the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron and engineers from the UK, while on the Water Culture House we worked alongside the Japanese architects Kengo Kuma & Associates. These encounters between different cultures and ways of working made the projects even more rewarding. It is both challenging and exciting when having to translate, understand and align different perspectives and approaches.

As a project engineering manager, I often see myself as a kind of conductor. My job is to bring together different disciplines and viewpoints and guide them towards a shared direction. When it succeeds, a strong sense of cohesion emerges – like music, where many different voices and tones come together in harmony."

Is there something about the studio culture that you particularly value?

"What I find remarkable is how strongly the spirit of Vilhelm Lauritzen still lives on within the studio today. In many ways, we continue to work with the buildings and institutions that form an important part of the studio’s legacy. One example is the transformation and restoration of The Radio House on Rosenørns Allé in Copenhagen, which today houses the Royal Danish Academy of Music – a purpose that feels perfectly at home within those extraordinary surroundings. For DR (the Danish Broadcasting Corporation), we have also designed both TV-Byen in Søborg and parts of DR Byen in Ørestad."

"Also, the studio’s relationship with Copenhagen Airport goes all the way back to 1939, when Vilhelm Lauritzen designed the very first terminal. I joined the studio shortly after we had helped relocate the iconic terminal building nearly four kilometres across the runways. More recently, I have been involved, together with the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces, in ensuring that the listed Vilhelm Lauritzen Terminal is carefully restored with respect for the original architecture and design.

It was also a special milestone when the studio celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022. It was inspiring to reflect on how Vilhelm Lauritzen’s spirit continues to shape the practice today, through our culture and the way we approach architecture."

In what ways does the spirit of Vilhelm Lauritzen continue to shape your work?

"To me, the spirit that lives at the studio is present in the way we work with each individual project. It is about the relationship between the overall vision and the smallest details, about pragmatism and buildability, and about allowing function and users’ needs, wishes and ambitions to shape the architecture. In my experience, this approach resonates with many different clients because it begins with people and the realities of everyday life.

That is why I believe the values and traditions that have shaped the studio are important to carry forward as we continue to shape environments that support and enrich people’s lives. Whether that is life at home, at work or in other more specialised settings. As an example, I am thinking of the healing architecture at hospitals, designed to support not only patients, but also their families and the healthcare professionals who care for them every day."

You were also elected as an employee representative on the board. What matters most to you in that role?

"Having been a part of the studio for so many years, it means a great deal to me to help preserve the culture we have built together. As an employee representative, I hope to contribute to ensuring that this culture continues to support and shape the studio’s development in the years to come.

I am also fortunate to serve on the board as chair of the VL Foundation, which helps make more study trips and social events possible for the employees at the studio. The foundation itself is approaching its 50th anniversary and remains an important part of the studio’s culture and sense of community."

Twenty-five years ago, Simon was living in London, but when he was offered to join the studio, he moved back to Denmark and began working as an architect in 2002. He graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Architecture in Copenhagen and has further qualified as both a construction economist and a project engineering manager through the Danish Association of Construction Economists (Danske Byggeøkonomer).

Over the years, he has worked on projects including the New North Zealand Hospital, microbiological laboratories at DTU and several projects at Copenhagen Airport. Most recently, he prepared concept proposals for two hospital projects and is currently working as project engineering manager on the Water Culture House, set to open on Papirøen in central Copenhagen this autumn.