Lightscapes

Congratulations to everyone involved in the transformation of DTU Building 208, which has just been honoured as “Building of the Year” at the Building Awards! It has been a pleasure to be the lighting designer for this project in collaboration with a dedicated and talented team. DTU’s approach to its architectural heritage is both ambitious and conscientious, making Building 208 the first to receive DGNB Platinum, DGNB Diamond and DGNB Heart. Congratulations! This transformation has allowed us to engage deeply with Koppel architects’ original vision while introducing new qualities to the building. By reintroducing natural daylight, a clear rhythm has been re-established throughout the building. The materials have been enhanced, and activities are supported through the attention of light. Seeing students occupy the building with energy and purpose is still the greatest measure of success Fotos @laura_stamer @aart_architects @malene_bach Spangenberg & Madsen @dtudk @nerd_architecture @eogp.dk @cfmoller_architects Søren Jensen

The light of Christmas has a special clarity to it — it lies in the contrasts between light and shadow. We gather around a light in the night, the light guides us, and it can tell the story of us and of a tradition. Perhaps it also offers a little hope and reminds us that light, and the light in the darkness, is universal and essential. Happy first of December. 🕯️

Light in colour! One of the defining qualities of Verner Panton's lighting in Cirkusbygningen is his use of indirect illumination, where coloured ceilings reflect light back into the room. It doesn't Just brighten the space - it reshapes it, turning the interior into a unified, enveloping atmosphere. To recreate that effect today, the lighting must be adjustable and in sync, just as Panton intended. Only in that harmony does Panton's choreography of light unfold. @vernerpantonofficial @cirkusbygningencph @lundgaardtranberg Sjælsø Management ApS KBS BYG A/S @ktcolor_diefarbmanufaktur @kempoglauritzen @e3light_pro @verpancom Claus Rathjen @vanpeeas @legio.dk @andtradition #lightscapes #lightingdesigner #vernerpanton #cirkusbygningen #lysdesign

So happy that @christinahauschildt made her way past Brogaard with her camera. A close friend of the farm, she has an effortless way of capturing the light of the farm—and all its creatures. For our recent book release, I asked her to do the opposite: to capture the light of the darkness. And, luckily, she was up for it. You can read more about the books under Brogaard Forlag via the link in my bio. #mørketslys #lightindarkness #photograpy #ligthdesigner #lysdesigner #lightscapes

Shadows tell stories! One of the most meaningful responses to the books came from Martin Zerlang, author and professor emeritus at KU. He connects the work to a Danish philosophical lineage — to Ludvig Feilberg’s 1882 study Holbergs Træ i Fiolstræde. Feilberg asked a simple question: How can darkness be beautiful when it is usually seen as the opposite of beauty? His answer: Shadows can be “directed,” “storytelling.” They reveal protection, shelter — the presence of something larger above us. This resonates deeply with my idea of "The Light in Darkness": that light and darkness together form our and nature's sensory whole. And yes — the books are available via the link in my bio. The books were created in collaboration with architect and photographer @najaviscor , who is the driving force behind the photo essay “Brogaard as seen by Naja Viščor.” Together, the two books form a complete two-volume work about Brogaard. Copywriter @aksrosener and, not least, professional photographer @christinahauschildt are likewise key contributors behind the books, which are published through the fresh new publishing house #BrogaardForlag. Toby Orton Martin Zerlang Mikkel Bille Mette Hvass Julieta Cignacco Ellen Kathrine Hansen Jørgen Hedrich and many more.

Darkness isn’t the opposite of light. It’s a different way of seeing. Here in the Nordics, where darkness is not a season but a companion, I’ve long felt it acts as a kind of compass. After reading the book, a former teacher wrote to me: “The light of darkness is so you. The text is beautiful and inspiring— especially for someone like me, who truly struggles with the lack of daylight in winter. And yes… there really is a great deal of light in the dark.” Her words reminded me why this concept matters; because darkness isn’t a deficit. It’s a lens. A shift in perception, where the world becomes quieter, and therefore clearer. This book came to life in close collaboration with @najaviscor , whose photographs form the visual heartbeat of the project. Together, Brogaard set i Mørkets Lys and Brogaard, as Seen by Naja Viščor create a two-volume exploration of Brogaard viewed through both word and image. Copywriter @aksrosener and, not least, professional photographer @christinahauschildt are likewise key contributors behind the books, which are published through the fresh new publishing house #BrogaardForlag. Toby Orton Martin Zerlang Mikkel Bille Mette Hvass Julieta Cignacco Ellen Kathrine Hansen Jørgen Hedrich and many more. If you'd like to explore the books, the link is in my bio— and for those who prefer a physical experience, they’re also on the shelves at Fredensborg Bookstore, Under Bogen in Gentofte, Books & Company in Hellerup, Bog & Idé in Charlottenlund, and Gallery in Copenhagen K.

Light doesn’t disappear in darkness. Under the starry sky a friend exclaimed “what a light!”. Now, I'm standing here with Brogaard Seen in the Light of Darkness in my hands. Darkness isn’t the absence of light, but another way of seeing. This is the thought I explore in the book. In daylight, darkness appears as shadow; in darkness, light returns as a reflection. They live within each other, and one doesn't cancel the other out. The project grew in close collaboration with photographer Naja Viščor, whose companion book 'Brogaard, as Seen by Naja Viščor' forms the second half of this two-part work. Copywriter @aksrosener and, not least, professional photographer @christinahauschildt are likewise key contributors behind the books, which are published through the fresh new publishing house #BrogaardForlag. The books are available via the link in bio, or for an analog experience of the books, they can be found on the shelves at Fredensborg Bookstore, Under Bogen in Gentofte, Books & Company in Hellerup, Bog & Idé in Charlottenlund, and Gallery in Copenhagen K. Thanks for sharing all of your insights! Toby Orton Martin Zerlang Mikkel Bille Mette Hvass Julieta Cignacco Ellen Kathrine Hansen Jørgen Hedrich and many more.

Last weekend, I took part in Going Dark 2025 — a gathering of lighting designers from around the world, exploring how we understand darkness, both culturally and physically: how much light truly exists within darkness, and how our perception is shaped by it. The workshop took place in Abbadia Isola, in collaboration with the local observatory and a team of astrophysicists. The astrophysicist perceives the light within the night — and so do I. These themes deeply resonate with my ongoing work on Ribe Cathedral and with my recently published book series with Brogaard Publishers: Brogaard Seen in the Light of Darkness and Brogaard, as Seen by Naja Viščor. Both works contribute to—and invite—a broader conversation about how we relate to darkness. You can read more about the books via the link in my bio. #goingdark #goingdark2025 @traversovighy

Thanks to 2025. I’ve had the great pleasure of contributing as lighting designer to the restoration of the historic Cirkusbygningen, working closely with the highly skilled teams from @balder_lejeboliger , @cirkusbygningencph represented by ChristianSunn, @lundgaardtranberg with Signe Baadsgaard and Benjamin Weber, and not least @vernerpantonofficial with Carin Panton von Halem and Lisbeth Skindbjerg Kristensen. The project has focused on recreating Verner Panton’s visionary lighting concept from 1984 — a process that has involved meticulous testing setups, archival research, mock-ups, measurements, development work with suppliers, and finally, the careful restoration of the original fixtures. The original light sources are no longer available, yet it was essential to us that the character of the light — and its dialogue with Panton’s signature color universe — remained authentic. The result is scenographic, powerful, and in perfect balance. Verner Panton believed that no color truly exists without the right light. With that in mind, we developed and refined new light sources to faithfully recreate the distinctive balance of brightness and color contrast that Panton so masterfully achieved. Sjælsø Management ApS KBS BYG A/S @ktcolor_diefarbmanufaktur @kempoglauritzen @e3light_pro @verpancom Claus Rathjen @vanpeeas @legio.dk @andtradition

Thanks to Summer 25: Spent, among other places, at Sostrup Castle, whose fairytale atmosphere sets the stage for Drakonheart, an initiative for children with special creative talents. It is a thrill to unleash my inner stagelight designer and approach the task experimentally, playfully, and consciously free of dogma, and here encounter the mythical and the imaginative. Light is a magical tool for transformation, opening up new ways of thinking and new associations. At Sostrup Castle, it is in the tension between the familiar and the unexpected, between history and curiosity, that Drakonheart unfolds and sets the imagination free.

Countess Danner was both a reviled woman and an agent of change. Born a commoner and becoming an unofficial queen, she was met with scorn and resistance – but also carried a strong belief in equality and justice. The exhibition at Frederiksborg Castle – her home with Frederik VII – conveys both her personal journey and the changing society of which she was a part. I have had the GREAT pleasure of designing the lighting for the exhibition, where light functions as an active narrative layer in interplay with the curation and scenography. The lighting is composed to create moods in the rooms en suite along the castle’s east wing, underlining both the transitions in her life and in the story. Light has been cast on a life lived against the wind, for even in the shadows there is light and color. We move from darker, tighter sections that reflect humiliation and exclusion, to warm and bright rooms where her strength and legacy can emerge. The exhibition opens up nuances and contrasts, and Countess Danner’s wonderful and whimsical color universe is highlighted in the light. Countess Danner was a woman who challenged her time. In love, politics, and public life she was met with resistance because she dared to place herself where she was not allowed to stand. The exhibition at Frederiksborg Castle gives new life to Danner’s story – and precisely because it unfolds in her former home, the rooms themselves become co-narrators. @_frederiksborg Eva Wendelboe Kuczynski @solosolo.dk Bente Vinge Pedersen Lone Krølle Martinsen @mettehoulbergrung foto: @jonathandamslund #lightscapes #darkscapes #museumslys #belysningsdesign #lightingdesign

As part of Architecture Biennale Copenhagen 2025, I took my time at Villum Window Collection to learn the craft of Shoji Windows 👀 @villumwindowcollection