yinjispace

ARCHITECTURE
Jørn Utzon
ARTIST
Lin Utzon
Recruiting

Crossing the northern European plains, Denmark unfolds with its rolling hills and valleys. Heading northward, it faces Sweden and Norway across the sea, its lengthy coastline showcasing diverse physical landscapes.

Since the early 20th century, the emphasis on rational functionalism in Scandinavia has undergone subtle shifts. As Kay Bojesen once remarked, “Lines should carry a hint of a smile.” Thus, a humanistic regional character has become a defining feature.

In Denmark, a sophisticated industrial system coexists with artisanal craftsmanship. Beyond pursuing minimalist forms, it prioritizes the integration of function and aesthetics while embodying human warmth. This approach imbues architectural spaces and environments with sensibility—manifesting in the quality of artisanal craftsmanship, the fusion of the five senses, and the resonance between body and place. Consequently, it creates architecture, spaces, and objects that connect with our innate longing for belonging, autonomy, and identity.

From November 24 to November 30, 2025, embark on a 7-day, 6-night journey with YINJISPACE to explore Denmark's meticulously crafted humanistic landscapes. From Copenhagen to Hårland, we engage in deep conversations with peers from diverse fields—furniture designers, artists, architects, brand strategists, material researchers, media professionals, and curators—to uncover the aesthetic logic and social significance behind design.

Kim Utzon (b. 1957) is a renowned contemporary Danish architect and designer. Born in Aalborg, Denmark, he is the second son of Pritzker Prize laureate Jørn Utzon (designer of the Sydney Opera House). Inheriting his father's acute sensitivity for architectural art, Kim has developed a more modern and functional design style. He graduated from the Department of Architecture at Aalborg University and furthered his studies at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, deeply influenced by Nordic modernism and international avant-garde architectural思潮. His works are known for clean lines, clear geometric structures, and sustainable concepts, excelling particularly in integrating architecture with natural landscapes.

Jan Utzon (b. 1944) is a distinguished Danish architect and the eldest son of Pritzker Prize laureate Jørn Utzon. Together with his younger brother Kim Utzon, he continues the architectural legacy of the Utzon family. He graduated early from the School of Architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and was deeply influenced by Scandinavian modernism and organic architectural concepts. Jan's design style inherits his father's keen grasp of natural forms and light, while incorporating more rational and practical structural expressions, excelling particularly in seamlessly integrating architecture with its surroundings. Jan is not only a practitioner but also an important promoter of architectural education, having taught at several universities in Denmark and abroad. His design philosophy emphasizes that "architecture should serve human experience," focusing on material texture and sustainability. Despite living long in his father's shadow, Jan has become a notable figure in contemporary Nordic architecture through his solid body of work and unique design perspective.

Lin Utzon (b. 1946) is a renowned Danish cross-disciplinary artist. Born in Denmark and educated in Sydney, Australia, and Denmark, she now resides in Mallorca, Spain. As the daughter of architectural master Jørn Utzon, she began her artistic journey doodling in the modernist spaces designed by her father, yet she has carved out a unique artistic path. Her work spans ceramic installations, painting, sculpture, and stage design, known for exploring a "cellular" black-and-white aesthetic and the essence of nature. The scale of her work ranges from miniature ceramics to building facades, forming a visual narrative "from the individual to the collective."

BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) is an international architecture firm headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, founded by architect Bjarke Ingels in 2005. BIG is renowned for its innovative, sustainable, and imaginative design philosophy, committed to addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges through architecture. The firm's scope of work spans architectural design, urban planning, landscape design, and product design, with offices in Copenhagen, New York, London, Barcelona, Shenzhen, and other locations.

The core design philosophy of BIG is "Pragmatic Utopianism," emphasizing the search for balance between idealism and reality to create architecture that is both beautiful and functional. Its representative projects include the "CopenHill" waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen (2019), which transforms an industrial facility into a public space for skiing, with its roof designed as a sloped park, perfectly illustrating the concept of "Hedonistic Sustainability." Additionally, the "VIA 57 West" apartment building in New York (2016) redefines high-rise residential living with its unique "courtyard pyramid" form, while the Google North America Headquarters (2015-2020) showcases BIG's pioneering exploration in the field of technology architecture. BIG is also involved in urban planning, with projects such as the "Marsk Tower" observation tower in Denmark and the "Tirpitz" WWII Museum, both noted for their minimalist design and clever interaction with the natural landscape.

Norm Architects, founded in 2008 and based in Copenhagen, is dedicated to enriching human experience through design. With 16 years of international experience in residential, hospitality, industrial design, and creative direction, the practice is committed to re-perceiving the built environment. As multidisciplinary architects and designers, they see their work as promoting well-being—a distillation of aesthetics that resonates with unique individuals and places, and systems that support universal human needs.

Each project, whether architecture, interior, or product, embodies a minimalist approach, with the broader goal of re-sensing the built environment through tactile design that embraces both body and mind. In their work, Norm's aim is always to find the essence of design—creating architecture, spaces, and objects that connect with the innate human desire for belonging, autonomy, and identity, regardless of scale or location. Their expertise lies in recognizing that moment when nothing more can be added or removed, when function meets beauty, and when a work feels as good as it looks.

Ark Journal is a Copenhagen-based biannual magazine founded by editor-in-chief Mette Barfod, produced by an experienced team of designers, stylists, photographers and editors. The publication is dedicated to exploring the spaces we inhabit, the objects we place within them, and the creators behind them. It treats architecture, design and art as an integrated whole, demonstrating their mutual influences and fusion, while consistently upholding enduring Scandinavian values and aesthetic principles. The magazine champions thoughtful creativity, authentic and innovative use of design and materials, while encouraging constructive critical discourse.

Nicholas Shurey is a British-Danish wood artist and former interior architect (previously with Space Copenhagen) who transitioned in 2018 after studying under a shepherd-sculptor in Switzerland, now focusing on handcrafted wooden works that exist "between furniture and sculpture." His core concept emphasizes "tactile sculpture" - carving flowing curves from reclaimed walnut, beech and other woods, drawing inspiration from human contours and natural fissures. His signature "Smiling Fruit Bowl" features an ambiguous form that invites users to playfully arrange fruits into faces or landscapes. He maintains a "purity of reduction," directly chainsaw-carving discarded logs from parks while preserving natural cracks formed through the wood's breathing, giving his works dynamic vitality.

Kristina Dam is a Danish designer and artist born in Præstø, graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Architecture and Design. Her work is deeply influenced by both art and architecture, skillfully blending artistic freedom with architectural structural aesthetics. She believes: "Art can freely cross boundaries of material and function, while architecture creates spatial experiences through structure and enduring materials." This unique design philosophy makes her works both artistically compelling and functionally practical, establishing a distinctive voice in contemporary design.

Grace Roy Hess is a Canadian-born art professional based in Copenhagen. Grace examines the art world through philosophical reasoning, opposing "art elitism" and advocating for art as a medium for open dialogue. She particularly focuses on female artists, having curated a solo exhibition for German artist Cornelia Baltes that explored "the eternity of the moment" through dynamic abstract-figurative works. In her practice, she excels at building interdisciplinary connections between curation, music and philosophy, believing that "true art should make people part of the story." This unconventional thinking gives her a distinctive perspective in contemporary art.

The former home of Finn Juhl, located in Ordrup north of Copenhagen, stands as one of his most exceptional works and now forms part of the Ordrupgaard Museum. This residence showcases a wealth of distinctive design elements where every room, colour, light, and integrated artwork combine to create an extraordinary sensory experience, fully embodying Juhl’s design genius. 

Danish designer Kristina Dam's home in the Copenhagen suburbs perfectly articulates her design philosophy—"minimalism with attitude." This century-old house, built in 2015 and just a five-minute walk from the beach, is characterized by clean lines and soft tones. It is furnished with her own designs—furniture, prints, and sculptures—alongside works by beloved Danish design masters. In the dining area, a prototype table with a conical base that never entered production stands as a uniquely sentimental object, bearing witness to her decade-long evolution from graphic designer to cross-disciplinary creator.

The seaside home of Norm Architects co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, originally built in 1934 on North Zealand’s coast, underwent a three-year transformation. Once an annex to the Vesterlyng guesthouse, its distinctive red-and-yellow Italianate facade was intentionally preserved, while the interior was completely reimagined into a tranquil narrative of a “1930s coastal inn.” Rooted in soft minimalism, the design merges Nordic functionality with Japanese wabi-sabi.

Bjerre-Poulsen considers this residence the ultimate expression of his design ethos. From the custom sea-salt-and-citrus scent to the handcrafted “No. 16” pottery series, every detail serves a therapeutic purpose—to “take the weight off one’s shoulders.” He pushed his own aesthetic boundaries: amber-tinted glass doors cast light bands preserved as temporal imprints, while basement walls were treated with traditional lime mortar to achieve a “beautifully aging texture.”

Designed in 1952 by renowned architect Jørn Utzon for himself and his family, this single-story home lies at the edge of Hellebæk Forest in North Zealand, Denmark. As one of Utzon’s earliest completed works, its innovative design earned high acclaim within the architectural community. The building integrates harmoniously with its natural surroundings: the north wall is fully enclosed to shield against cold winds, while the south facade opens up with full-height glazing, flooding the interior with natural light. Utzon’s flexible wooden partition system allows room layouts to adapt to changing needs, embodying the architecture’s inherent openness to the rhythms of life.

Located in Copenhagen's Bispebjerg district, Grundtvigs Kirke is an iconic building dedicated to the influential Danish thinker N.F.S. Grundtvig. Though proposals to honor him emerged even before his passing, it was not until the early 20th century that plans took shape. Architect Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint presented a design uniting a church and bell tower, which gradually gained public support. 

Situated in Humlebæk, Denmark, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art stands as one of Northern Europe’s most beloved museums of modern and contemporary art. Since its opening in 1958, it has gained international acclaim for its high-caliber exhibitions, growing art collection, and dynamic cultural programs. The museum is also celebrated for its architectural harmony and stunning natural surroundings, often regarded as one of the most beautiful museum settings in the world.

Founded in 1888 by beer magnate Carl Jacobsen, the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is one of Scandinavia’s foremost art museums, located in the heart of Copenhagen. Its collection centers around classical antiquities donated by the founder, including one of the world’s most comprehensive assemblies of ancient Mediterranean sculpture—treasures such as Egyptian mummies and Greco-Roman statues. The building itself is a work of art, with its Winter Garden atrium featuring palm trees and natural light, elegantly merging Neoclassical and 19th-century industrial aesthetics.

Established in 1890 in central Copenhagen, the Designmuseum Danmark ranks among the world’s most influential design institutions. Its collections span six centuries, tracing the evolution of Danish design from traditional craftsmanship to modern functionalism, with a strong focus on Nordic modernism from the 20th-century golden age. The museum holds iconic furniture, lighting, and industrial designs by masters such as Arne Jacobsen and Hans J. Wegner. Housed in an 18th-century Neoclassical former hospital, the museum creates a compelling dialogue between historic architecture and contemporary exhibition design.

Founded by Wilhelm and Henny Hansen as a private art collection, the Ordrupgaard Museum remains housed in their original 1918 mansion. The museum complex itself represents an architectural journey, comprising four distinct buildings by different master architects spanning over a century of design. These include two private residences and two modern extensions—the founders' elegant home by Danish architect Gotfred Tvede, Finn Juhl’s iconic house, and later additions by Zaha Hadid and Snøhetta, showcasing bold contemporary architectural innovation.

Nestled in the serene beech forests of Halland, Sweden, Sjöparken seamlessly blends Nordic elegance, Japanese minimalism, and tropical accents to create a secluded sanctuary deeply connected with nature. Seven villas are ingeniously suspended above the lake, connected to hotel rooms via glass corridors that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. From private docks to in-room saunas, every detail embodies the seamless integration of human and natural elements, crafting a unique experience of tranquility and luxury.

As part of Ästad Vingård, Sjöparken not only optimizes spatial utilization but also focuses on immersive serenity and wellness experiences. This project was realized through a collaboration between Ästad and Norm Architects, where meticulous design integrates architecture, interiors, and the natural environment. Sunlight filters into the interiors, where natural materials engage in a delicate dance with light and shadow, showcasing the building's harmonious resonance with its surroundings and presenting a perfect expression of coexistence with nature.

Admiral Hotel is situated in what was once a bustling maritime trade hub, having witnessed numerous historical events from the 18th century to the present day. Originally serving as a granary before its transformation into a hotel, the building not only carries European architectural heritage but also stands adjacent to the Danish Royal Palace, having witnessed significant historical moments such as the "Battle of the Sound" and the British siege of 1807. Today, as a historical witness to both the city and its port, the hotel integrates this rich legacy into its contemporary design, allowing every visitor to feel its profound cultural depth.

Transformed from the former Danish Post and Telegraph Headquarters built in 1912 and located in central Copenhagen, this establishment stands as a paradigm of historic building revitalization and sustainable luxury. Designed by British firm Universal Design Studio, it preserves the Neo-Baroque exterior façade while blending Nordic minimalism with industrial aesthetics inside. The century-old postal sorting hall has been converted into a restaurant featuring copper archways, and 390 guest rooms were created using recycled building materials. Committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the hotel employs AXOR's smart water-saving systems and customized eco-friendly solutions, becoming the world's first five-star hotel to receive "Conscious Luxury" certification.

Hotel Notes:

The listed hotels in the itinerary are based on double occupancy, with room assignments arranged randomly according to the order of registration. If a participant experiences poor sleep quality, it is recommended to upgrade to a single room. The price difference for the upgraded room is to be borne by the participant.

Visa Notes:

The passport must have at least 6 months of validity remaining after the trip concludes and should have 2 blank visa pages (excluding observation pages). YINJISPACE only collects passports on behalf of participants. The approval of the visa application is at the discretion of the consulate. Any losses (including, but not limited to, self-booked flights or hotel reservations) incurred due to visa rejection are the responsibility of the visa applicant. Once the visa application is submitted, the visa fees are non-refundable, with a processing time of 6-8 weeks.

Insurance Notes:

The insurance provided for this trip is only applicable to participants holding passports issued by mainland China. Participants holding non-mainland China passports are required to purchase their own insurance (self-provided insurance). Any risks and losses incurred due to opting out of insurance coverage will be the responsibility of the participant.

Join Us:

Interested individuals can inquire by calling 008618516033254 or adding the official WhatsApp at 08618516033254. Additionally, you may send your requirements to the email address: mia@yinjispace.com