Designing for the low winter sun

In Copenhagen the winter sun rises late, stays low and sets by four. For a few months a year, daylight is precious, and the way a building catches it matters more than almost anything else.

Deep rooms, high windows

Low sun travels a long way into a room. A tall window on the south side can light a space ten metres deep, so we often trade width for height.

Surfaces that hold light

Pale lime plaster and light oak floors bounce daylight further into the plan. Dark finishes we keep for the places where people want to rest.