In 2012, Stig Mikkelsen founded Mikkelsen Arkitekter<\/a> with a vision shaped by a Scandinavian sensibility: pragmatic, climate-conscious, and deeply rooted in architectural integrity. Over a decade later, his firm has become known for projects that fuse modernity with context-sensitive sustainability, particularly for northern climates.<\/p>\n I had the pleasure of speaking with Stig ahead of his keynote at the Nordic Facade Forum<\/a> on June 9, 2025, in Helsinki.<\/p>\n Our conversation touched on everything from transforming heritage buildings to the future of digital design, offering valuable insights for architects navigating today\u2019s complex sustainability demands.<\/p>\n Growing up and practicing in Scandinavia, Stig has long been attuned to the critical role of resources and external climate when designing interior spaces.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were educated that there is always a reason for what we do,\u201d he explains. \u201cAnd, budgets are never unlimited, so we need to be rational in how we do things.\u201d<\/p>\n His architectural tech-aware mindset developed through early influences from Nordic masters and international experiences, including five formative years at Norman Foster\u2019s office in the late 1980s and early 1990s.<\/p>\n From the outset, sustainability for Mikkelsen was about the best use of materials and indoor climate rather than energy metrics. \u201cThat came later,\u201d he says, but the foundational concern was how people\u2019s wellbeing and climate-technical aspects were developed into a holistic understanding of building design.<\/p>\n Few architectural tasks are as demanding as designing facades for the North. \u201cWe want all the daylight we can get during the dark season,\u201d Stig explains, \u201cbut we also need to retain energy and manage, low sun angles, low temperatures, strong winds \u2013 all under shifting conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n This complexity requires a nuanced balance, especially when working with glass, a material vital and problematic in cold, dark regions.<\/p>\n Ideally, in a Scandinavian \u2013 Northern context, glass must be highly efficient without tinting, and facades should respond dynamically to seasonal change.<\/p>\n Mikkelsen points to a robust but still ambitious approach to prefabrication as a practical strategy: \u201cYou can test and check components before they go to the site and ensure they meet high-performance criteria for wind loads, insulation, and airtightness.\u201d<\/p>\n On my question of influence, Stig is clear: architects still hold substantial role in steering projects toward sustainability and devising new, innovative solutions.<\/p>\n Clients have a significant opportunity in setting ambitions, regulations push standards higher, but architects have the tools and the responsibility to integrate sustainability into every part of the design process. This often means thinking beyond energy standards to create flexible and adaptable buildings and even considering the extent of building new and the reuse of materials.<\/p>\n Mikkelsen Arkitekter is also well-versed in transforming existing buildings, including heritage sites like the \u201cDamesalen\u201d at University of Copenhagen and both Dansehallerne and Machine Centre in Copenhagen\u2019s Carlsberg City. For listed structures, the challenge lies in integrating modern elements, like energy-efficient glazing, without undermining historical identity.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to be careful,\u201d Stig says. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s better to improve insulation elsewhere than to compromise a facade\u2019s character.\u201d<\/p>\n In other cases, where buildings aren\u2019t protected but still possess embedded carbon and architectural value, the firm embraces the dialogue between old and new. \u201cNew design, based on up-to-date technology, carried out in understanding of existing architecture can create a valuable dialogue where both existing and new win by the relationship,\u201d Stig states. One notable example is an addition to a 1960s building at the University of Toronto, where Mikkelsen\u2019s team has created a facade that respects both climatic extremes and historical context.<\/p>\n Stig is cautiously optimistic about technological advancements in materials and digital tools. Triple-glazed units with advanced coatings have become standard, but clarity, especially in winter light, is still a key concern.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t compromise on clear glass in February in Northern areas,\u201d he asserts, noting the ongoing need for balance between performance and human experience.<\/p>\n Wood is another material of growing interest, particularly in prefabricated insulated panels. Stig notes that we\u2019re still exploring wood\u2019s properties in facades and how much of it has to be left visible.<\/p>\n As for digital tools, Mikkelsen\u2019s team integrates them early in the design process, particularly for concept studies, daylight analysis and massing studies. Yet he remains a firm believer in sketching by hand.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, the pencil is still my thinking tool. We search with it.\u201d While younger architects may rely more on software or VR, he sees value in a hybrid process where analog and digital enrich one another.<\/p>\n Over the past three decades, the sustainability discourse in architecture has shifted from vague \u201cgreen\u201d gestures to complex technical and regulatory frameworks. This evolution is welcome for Mikkelsen, \u201cWe see a new exiting architecture developing\u201d. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe danger is if sustainability only becomes ticking 100 boxes,\u201d he warns. \u201cWe miss the opportunity for architecture and sustainability coming together, in strong concepts.<\/p>\n This philosophy is especially relevant as Europe has set a high bar for CO2 emission reductions for new buildings and prepares for a massive wave of energy retrofits.<\/p>\n Stig notes that we talk about facades as if they were the same everywhere. However, the architecture of the North must evolve on its own terms.<\/p>\n Mikkelsen\u2019s work reminds us that sustainability is more than a performance metric; it represents a cultural and creative response to place.<\/p>\n To meet Stig in person, register<\/a> for the Nordic Facade Forum 2025.<\/em><\/p>\n The images are courtesy of Mikkelsen Arkitekter. The title image illustrates the University of Toronto\u2019s Lash Miller building.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Stig](\"https:\/\/aec-business.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Stig-Mikkelsen.jpg\")
Sustainability, Climate, Culture, and the Architectural Mindset<\/h2>\n
The Nordic Fa\u00e7ade: Balancing Daylight and Efficiency<\/h2>\n
![\"Laboratory](\"https:\/\/aec-business.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Bispebjerg-Hospital.jpg\")
Architects as Catalysts for Change<\/h2>\n
Transforming the Past with the Future in Mind<\/h2>\n
![\"Dansehallerne\"](\"https:\/\/aec-business.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Dansehallerne.jpg\")
![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/aec-business.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/University-of-Toronto-Lash-Miller-exterior.jpg\")
Looking Ahead: Emerging Tech and Digital Twins<\/h2>\n
The Evolution of Sustainable Architecture<\/h2>\n
![\"Damesalen\"](\"https:\/\/aec-business.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Damesalen.jpg\")
Architecture That Belongs<\/h2>\n
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