Contemporary Copenhagen

For almost a century, the aim of Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects has been to make Copenhagen a better city to live in. The studio strives for a design that transcends time and manages a constantly changeable reality. In their view, good architecture emanates from function and is drawn from inside and out. Thus, it can be equal and afford everyone a good life. Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects is behind many of the most noticed contemporary community buildings in Copenhagen, such as the Danish Radio House, Copenhagen Airport, the residential area Krøyers Plads, the New North Zealand Hospital, the department store Illum and the world’s first cross-functional media house DR City.

The founder of the studio, Vilhelm Theodor Lauritzen (1894–1984), was one of the most distinguished modern Danish architects. His conviction, that ‘architecture is applied art for the people – never a privilege for the few’, is still alive. This book covers the processes behind some of the buildings that have shaped modern Copenhagen.