The 1,500 m² project by Henning Larsen and Espen Surnevik stands, from its conception, as a remarkable exception in an era characterized by church closures and increasing secularization. The church was designed to host religious services, cultural events, and everyday gatherings, offering flexible spaces that transcend its traditional function.
With no formal facade or rear, the building's only fixed element is its centrally located baptismal font. Views open up in all directions: to the forest, the cemetery, and the old church tower, reinforcing the idea of the church as a public space rather than a directional one.
Materials such as brick, oak, and brass create a warm and timeless atmosphere. The sinuous facade plays with natural light, creating different effects depending on the time of day. The latticed openings make the church a transcendental space. The numerous artificial lamps, arranged across the main surface, also contribute to this effect when natural light disappears or is insufficient.
Højvangen Church by Henning Larsen, Espen Surnevik. Photograph by Rasmus Hjortshøj.
Danish furniture designer Brdr. Krüger was commissioned to create a new chair called Ekko, which is both elegant and durable. The church departs from tradition by using materials such as brick, oak, and brass. Yet, it maintains a contemplative and spiritual essence.
Project description by Henning Larsen and Espen Surnevik
From Engho Church in Randers to the upcoming Orestad Church in Copenhagen, Henning Larsen has long contributed to the evolving role of church design in Denmark, balancing tradition with new spatial and social ideas.
"With the new church in Hejvangen, we have been true to the theological tradition, while also reinterpreting the church as a place that accommodates both everyday life and celebrations, joy and mourning, across generations. Light was a central design driver for us. It's more than a physical element - it brings a calm, almost spiritual quality to the space, lifting the experience of the church room beyond the everyday."
Eva Ravnborg, Director, Henning Larsen.
Located on the outskirts of Skanderborg, Denmark, the 1,500 m? building honors Danish architectural heritage while embracing contemporary ideas of community and spirituality. Designed to host religious services, cultural events, and everyday gatherings, the church offers flexible spaces that extend beyond its traditional function. Materials such as brick, oak, and brass create a warm, timeless atmosphere.
From the outside, the church appears as a sculpted pavilion set into the landscape, connected to the existing church center by a partially underground corridor. With no formal front or back, the building's only fixed element is its baptismal font, placed at the very center. From here, views open in all directions - to the forest, the cemetery, the old church tower - reinforcing the idea of the church as a civic clearing rather than a directional space.
"Our ambition was to design a space that opens in every direction. This idea challenges the traditional church layout and allows us to create a flexible interior that feels open yet intimate and sacred."
Greta Tiedje, Global Design Director, Henning Larsen.
Unlike the traditional church layout, this adaptable 'clearing' can accommodate a wide variety of events, made to include everyone. The surrounding walls shift between solid and transparent, forming pockets of privacy that balance openness with intimacy, and community with personal reflection.
'A place of worship is a civic anchor.' 'We designed it to be part of the everyday, a space where people can gather across generations and beliefs and find meaning through shared experience. That's where real life happens.'
Greta Tiedje, Global Design Director, Henning Larsen.
The gently undulating façade invites in shifting natural light throughout the day. Permeable walls filter and shape this light to create a dynamic interplay of shadow and atmosphere, making the architecture itself part of the spiritual experience.
Outside, the church invites engagement on all sides. A series of niches built into the colonnaded rear facade offer places for quiet retreat, conversation, or a pause in nature. A landscaped park and courtyard provide additional outdoor space for events and community use.
As part of the project, Henning Larsen partnered with Danish furniture maker Brdr. Krüger to design a new stackable church chair. Named Ekko, the chair combines elegance with durability and is certified to the highest EU standard (L2) for extreme use. Ekko marks Henning Larsen's return to furniture design after 60 years and will be on display at the Brr. Krüger showroom during 3daysodesign in Copenhagen, June 18-20, 2025.
The project was the result of a 2021 design competition, unanimously awarded to Henning Larsen by a jury of architectural professionals and members of the Skanderborg Parish council. The church was inaugurated on the first Sunday of Advent, 2024.
