Third Nature Architects

Nature first! What if nature was allowed to come before the city? At Lynetteholm, the coastal landscape is developed from the premise that robust nature cannot be rushed. Ecological resilience takes time - and time must therefore be built into the project from the very beginning. The landscape is established gradually, alongside land reclamation and well before the urban district is fully developed. This approach, which we call “nature first”, gives natural processes the time they need to take hold, while opening the area early on as a recreational coastal landscape for the city. The result is a continuous nature belt with varied coastlines, forests, beaches and open landscapes - forming a new coastal experience within Copenhagen’s larger network of parks and shorelines. Climate adaptation begins long before buildings do. The first phase, comprising just over 8 hectares of the coastal landscape, will open in 2029 and has been developed for @by.og.havn in collaboration with @cowigroup (tr), @arkitema , and @thirdnaturearchitects .

Call for autumn internship! We are looking for architecture interns who embrace change, innovate boldly and want to be a changemaker together with us. From micro to macro, we shape holistic impact across all scales. Read more in the post above.

From military base to vibrant urban neighbourhood Flyvestation Værløse has evolved from its past as a military site into a dynamic neighbourhood shaped by its history, landscape, and local life. The transformation builds on the site’s unique cultural heritage and natural qualities, creating spaces where people, nature, and shared experiences can coexist. The masterplan is rooted in a close-to-home approach, where the good life is understood as the starting point for development. Rather than introducing a new layer, the plan works strategically with what is already there - reusing existing structures, reinforcing landscape connections, and organising infrastructure around a clear hierarchy of a main distribution road and shared residential streets. Client: Freja Ejendomme A/S Team: @thirdnaturearchitects , @cobearchitects , @rekommanderet Photos by @olivarius_arch

Why sow instead of plant? Why sow forests instead of planting them? Because resilient climate adaptation depends on resilient nature. At Lynetteholm, forests and open landscapes are established through rather than conventional planting. Seeds from robust, native pioneer species will be sown when the soil is ready, allowing vegetation to adapt naturally to wind, salt exposure and coastal conditions. Sown trees develop stronger root systems and greater storm resistance than transplanted nursery trees - a critical factor in a landscape shaped by rising sea levels, shifting shorelines and increasingly intense storms. By working with nature’s own processes, climate adaptation becomes a living system rather than a static structure. A landscape that does not resist change, but is designed to adapt to it. The first phase, covering just over 8 hectares of the coastal landscape and will open in 2029. Client: @by.og.havn Team: @cowigroup , @arkitema and @thirdnaturearchitects . Visualisations illustrating ‘Lysningen’ in 2029 and 2059, respectively. #thirdnature #copenhagen #coastallandscape #Lynetteholm #naturebasedsolutions #resilience #resiliency

Located in the clearing within the forest of Kongelunden, the new stadium in Aarhus stands at the point where the dense woodland opens into spacious plazas. The natural green hall of vertical beech trees gradually opens towards the heritage building and the stadium, creating a subtle hierarchy without relying on rigid framing. The trees are arranged in distinct groves, inspired by Stadion Allé, where their pure geometry complements the rhythm and proportions of the neoclassical heritage building. The design emphasizes the dialogue between forest, heritage, and contemporary architecture. The stadium carves into the existing terrain and connects seamlessly to the arena, tennis courts, and the heritage building. Paving patterns follow the curvature of the stadium roof, translating architectural rhythm into the landscape and reinforcing the spatial order. This approach allows for flexible use of the surrounding plaza, accommodating everyday public life as well as large gatherings. The result is a coherent, structured environment that highlights the unique location of a stadium in the forest while respecting both nature and cultural heritage. Client: @aarhsdk Team: @thirdnaturearchitects @zahahadidarchitects @swecodenmark Drone photos by Dalux

Climate adaptation as a long-term system How do you climate-adapt a city for the year 2200? By accepting that climate adaptation cannot be a fixed solution. At Lynetteholm, Copenhagen’s new coastal district, climate adaptation is designed as a flexible, long-term system. The latest IPCC assessment shows that global mean sea levels are very likely to continue rising throughout this century and beyond. Depending on future emissions, sea level rise could range from several tenths of a metre to over a metre by 2100, with multi-metre increases possible over the following centuries. This means that Lynetteholm’s coastal protection cannot be a rigid barrier - it must evolve as conditions change. Differentiated coastal types and landscape-based solutions allow future climate protection levels to be adjusted through local terrain elevation. Integrated into the landscape, these adaptations enhance the biodiversity locally, spatial experience, and recreational value rather than compromising them. Climate adaptation at Lynetteholm is therefore not only about protection. It is about designing landscapes that can change, and improve, over time. The first phase, covering just over 8 hectares of the coastal landscape, will open in 2029. Client: @by.og.havn Team: @cowigroup , @arkitema & @thirdnaturearchitects

The snow has melted in Aarhus, but we can still look back to recently when the future stadium rested underneath a white layer of snow. Rooted in the old forests of Marselisborg in the City of Aarhus, the future stadium merges local heritage with a strong architectural identity. Shaped as a vibrant new destination for Aarhus, the project bridges sports culture with the tranquillity of Marselisborg’s woodland. At the same time, the refurbished heritage building safeguards the soul and charm of the club. Client: @aarhsdk Team: @thirdnaturearchitects , @zahahadidarchitects and @swecodenmark Contractor: A. Enggaard A/S. Video by @sibber.jpg , @agffodbold . @kongelundenaarhus

Seven years after its transformation, Enghaveparken continues to demonstrate how climate adaptation and everyday urban life can coexist. Captured in the coldest winter in recent years, the park is covered in, now melting, snow and ice, revealing how the landscape performs across shifting seasons. Winter leaves its mark, but it also highlights the resilience embedded in the design. From heavy snowfall and frozen surfaces to intense summer cloudbursts, the park is built to withstand change. Enghaveparken shows how cities can be shaped to endure seasonal extremes while remaining open, social, and generous public landscapes throughout the year. Client: @koebenhavnskommune and @hofor Team: @cowigroup , @platant.cph , Hoffmann A/S, Gammelrand Beton A/S, nor|DC ApS, Wewers A/S Photos by @astridkbh #enghaveparken #urbanarchitecture #adaptionpark #climateadaption #thirdnature

It's cold outside 🥶 Large parts of Copenhagen have frozen over in recent weeks, with temperatures below zero. At The Tip of Nordø, the harbour edge reveals its seasonal transformation where ice, water, and landscape merge into a continuous urban nature. Located at the very tip of Nordø and surrounded by water on three sides, the project establishes a new public landscape and destination in Copenhagen’s North Harbour. A sequence of urban nature, harbour promenade, and winter garden extends the public realm to the edge of the city and strengthens the connection between people, city, and sea, creating an accessible and resilient landscape throughout the seasons. Client: PFA Ejendomme Team: @vilhelmlauritzenarchitects , @cobearchitects @thirdnaturearchitects @rambolldenmark , Pihl, @lm_byg_as , M.J. Eriksson Photos by @m___a__r_co

Urbanplanen Syd, an active youth- and child-focused urban development on Amager, is a prime example of holistic city planning, where new buildings, landscape transformation, and social functions are designed together as one cohesive urban framework. Nature and landscape are essential to the project’s vision. A series of sustainable rainwater basins and ponds not only manages stormwater but also enhances biodiversity and recreational quality. Edible plants, green corridors, and public gathering spaces connect the area, making nature a functional, educational, and social resource embedded in daily city life. A former football field has been transformed into a climate adapted public landscape, creating new connections, meeting points, and opportunities for outdoor life. Through integrated green infrastructure, terrain shaping, and careful consideration of protected trees, the project demonstrates both technical and aesthetic expertise in sensitive landscape interventions. Thoughtful planning ensured that existing wildlife, including protected species, could remain part of the evolving landscape, showing that nature and urban life can coexist seamlessly. The completed Urbanplanen Syd demonstrates how new construction and landscape transformation, as part of a broader climate strategy for Amager, can be integrated into a single, coherent architectural and urban planning approach. Team: @thirdnaturearchitects ,@jaja_architects , @ekjraadgivendeingeniorer Photos by Third Nature and @olivarius_arch

Remember to visit Habitat 25 at DAC! Did you know that just 30 m² of mushrooms can replace what would normally require 3,000 m² of land for meat and feed production? Habitat 25, a part of the exhibition Age of Nature at @danisharchitecturecenter demonstrates how cities can become productive ecologies by integrating food cultivation directly into their spatial and cultural infrastructure. The installation transforms the Danish Architecture Center’s modular system into a circular mushroom-growing chamber, wrapped in translucent membranes and climate-controlled to support continuous, zero-waste production. Using upcycled organic waste such as coffee grounds and sawdust as substrate, the chamber turns what is normally discarded into nourishment, showing how architecture can act as an active metabolic agent in the city. Habitat 25 is part of the Age of Nature exhibition at DAC and developed by Third Nature Architects in collaboration with @lassecarlsen . The exhibition runs until May 17, 2026. Photo 1, 2, 5, 6 by Anders Sune Berg.

More life to the streets of Copenhagen! 16 streets in Copenhagen. One shared ambition: more urban life. We’re excited to share that Third Nature won the tender for Bylivsgader – Phase 3, as part of the @koebenhavnskommune 's Grant for Lively Streets. Building on our experience from Phase 2, we’re now working across an expected total of 16 streets in Copenhagen, selected through citizen applications and dialogue. Together, we’re reclaiming street space for more greenery, better places to stay, and reduced car dominance. According to the City of Copenhagen’s Mobility Report 2024, 58% of the space between buildings is currently used for carriageways and parking. Through targeted, surface-based interventions, we’re helping turn streets into places to stay – not just places to pass through. In collaboration with LINQ Trafikrådgivning, we’re creating calmer, greener and more people-focused streets.