Living Places Copenhagen wins Danish Design Award 2024: A recognition of the future of building design
The VELUX Group proudly announces that Living Places Copenhagen has won the prestigious Danish Design Award 2024.
This year, the award has a new value-based focus and honours Living Places Copenhagen, developed by the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, Artelia and Enemærke & Petersen, as a pioneering example of design that creates positive change and addresses the major climate and health challenges we face today.
The Danish Design Award 2024 marks a new chapter in its history by moving away from fixed categories and focusing on solutions that challenge traditional boundaries. This year, judging was based on five core values: Do No Harm, Pursue Beauty, Lead the Way, Prove Your Impact and Solve Problems Worth Solving. Living Places Copenhagen was highlighted by the jury as a project that combines beautiful design with a low carbon footprint, healthy indoor environments and a whole new approach to how we live together.
Living Places Copenhagen goes beyond ideas and turns ambitious goals into reality. It's not just about making a difference with the extremely low CO2 emissions of 3.85 kilos per square metre per year. It's a vision for how we can build and live together in the future, strengthening communities, preserving our individuality and improving human health. This design solution represents a vision of how we can build for both people and the planet at the same time.
A new paradigm in the construction industry
The Living Places concept was developed to show how an innovative approach to construction can help solve global climate and health challenges. The project has been exhibited as prototypes in the Railroad District in Copenhagen for the past 1.5 years, showing how it is possible to build homes with an ultra-low carbon footprint and with a first-class indoor climate - at a price that matches the market for newly built detached and terraced houses at scale.
Living Places is about creating healthy and flexible homes that make a difference for both people and the environment. New data from tests of Living Places Copenhagen shows a clear correlation between good indoor climate and increased well-being, confirming that a focus on health should be at the centre of future home design. It also shows that we can in fact build houses that are both healthy to live in and have significantly less impact on the planet - without waiting for new technology.
Design that sets a new standard
The Living Places project has already received significant national and international recognition, and with this award, the Danish Design Award recognises the aesthetic and design quality of the project, which goes hand in hand with the sustainable principles.
“Living Places is an example of how good design is about asking the right questions. We set out to develop homes that would be healthy for the planet and for people, built with simple and circular construction principles, create communities, be flexible and affordable. Overall, it represents a paradigm shift that puts life at the centre of the design task in a broad sense - and it creates innovation on many different levels.”
About Living Places
The Living Places concept is developed by the VELUX Group in collaboration with EFFEKT architects and Artelia engineers. The first prototypes were presented in Copenhagen in April 2023. Living Places has already been nominated for 14 national and international architecture and design awards and has won 8 of them. Take a virtual tour through Living Places Copenhagen or read more about the project.
About the VELUX Group
VELUX roof windows have been bringing daylight and fresh air into peoples’ homes around the world for more than 80 years, creating better living environments. We offer a range of products including roof windows and modular skylights, decorative blinds, sun screening products, and roller shutters, as well as installation and smart home solutions. They help create bright, healthy, and energy-efficient places for people who live, work, learn, and play under the roof. We work globally – with sales and manufacturing operations in 37 countries and around 11,900 employees worldwide. The VELUX Group is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company owned by the Villum Foundation and members of the Kann Rasmussen family. In 2023, the VELUX Group had a total revenue of EUR 2.91 billion while VKR Holding had a total revenue of EUR 3.97 billion. The same year, the Villum Foundation and the VELUX FOUNDATION donated a total of EUR 184.6 million in charitable grants.
For more information about the VELUX Group, visit velux.com.
About the Danish Design Award
The Danish Design Award highlights the positive impact of design in everyday life and celebrates companies and designers across the country for their innovative solutions to complex issues.
The essence of exceptional design lies in a profound respect for materials, people, and society. This year’s winners are chosen based on our five core design values: Do no harm, Pursue beauty, Lead the way, Prove your impact, and Solve problems worth solving. It showcases that Danish design stands for more than craftsmanship and aesthetics – it’s also an ethical commitment to creating a better world.
The Danish Design Award is a collaboration between the DDC – Danish Design Center and the trade association Design Denmark. Creative Denmark is branding partner in 2024.