Where I wander: Interior Architecture School in Copenhagen
One of the most formative experiences in my journey as a designer was the semester I spent studying interior architecture in Copenhagen, Denmark. While living there, I was immersed in a culture where design is not just a profession, it’s a way of life. Architecture, interiors, and craftsmanship were thoughtfully integrated into daily routines, public spaces, and even casual coffee shop visits. That immersion has never left me, and it continues to shape the way I approach design at Viridian.
Our curriculum focused heavily on adaptive reuse, sustainable architecture, Danish furniture design, and textile craft—a foundation that taught me how to see buildings not only as structures, but as living narratives. I explored the idea of hygge, not as a design trend, but as a real ethos: a feeling of warmth, comfort, and belonging shaped by materials, scale, and thoughtful detail.
Copenhagen was a city of quiet contrasts. I remember the worn brick spiral ramp of the Rundetaarn, a space meant for horses but now carrying modern feet. The soaring, minimalist silence inside Grundtvig’s Church felt like entering a cathedral carved from light. And at Koldinghus, the insertion of contemporary architecture within crumbling castle walls showed me that honoring history and embracing innovation are not opposites, they're partners.
Even the smallest details outside of class informed my perspective. In nearly every café, you’d find blankets, lumbar pillows, and cozy corners—spaces designed for lingering, not leaving. Hospitality wasn’t rushed; it was designed. That attention to the emotional and physical experience of space is something I carry into every Viridian project.
I left Copenhagen with a deep respect for material honesty, sustainable thinking, and the idea that design should respond to both human need and historic context. Below, I’ve compiled a selection of favorite buildings and interiors in and around the city—spaces that continue to inspire me.
