STUDIO
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ABOUT
nikolova/aarsø is a Copenhagen-based architecture and design practice founded by Alexandra Nikolova and Jonas Aarsø.
We work across architecture, design and material research, from private homes and buildings to masterplans and objects. Bio-based and recyclable materials are at the core of our practice.
We are a small studio by choice, allowing us to stay closely involved in our projects and work directly with the people we collaborate with.
ARCHITECTURE STARTS WITH LISTENING
Every project starts with its own set of conditions.
We look at the place, the people, the programme, the climate and the materials available to us. Rather than applying a fixed formula, we let these conditions inform the architecture.
We believe good architecture comes from understanding how these elements relate to each other — and from finding the right balance between beauty, function and context.
MATERIALS ARE PART OF THE DESIGN
We work with materials from the beginning of the design process, exploring their qualities, limitations and possibilities alongside the architecture.
We do not believe in choosing between aesthetics, functionality and bio-based materials. The challenge is to make them work together.
This means questioning conventional construction, exploring alternatives and paying close attention to how materials meet, age and perform.function and context.
FROM IDEA TO BUILDING
We stay close to the process from the first idea to the finished building.
We work closely with clients, engineers, craftspeople, manufacturers and builders, bringing different forms of knowledge into the design process.
Drawing, testing, detailing and building are all part of the same process. What happens on site can change the drawing, just as an idea in the drawing can challenge the way something is built.
WE DESIGN FOR CHANGE
Buildings are not static. Their use changes, people change and their surroundings change.
We therefore consider not only how a building works today, but how it can adapt, be repaired, transformed, reused or eventually taken apart.
We want to create architecture that can have a long life without being locked into a single future.
For us, architecture is not about following a recipe. It is about asking the right questions, understanding the conditions and finding the most thoughtful answer.
ARCHITECTURE IS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.
Every project brings together different people, perspectives and areas of expertise.
We work closely with clients, engineers, craftspeople, manufacturers, researchers and builders, bringing different knowledge into the process and learning from it ourselves.
Some collaborations are project-specific. Others develop over time through shared research, material development and new ways of building.
We value the people behind the work as much as the work itself. The work gets better when more knowledge enters the room and when we share the same ambition.
