Norm Architects: the architecture of wellbeing

In 2008, Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen and Kasper Rønn founded the Danish architectural practice Norm Architects. The studio emerged as a rebellious response to postmodernism, was launched during that same year’s financial crisis, and gained further momentum through the digital shift in our society. In a short time, Norm Architects grew into a global reference in the field of soft minimal living – a term often, somewhat fashionably, described as slow living. Although they themselves have little regard for trends, the duo acknowledge that their projects offer a sense of calm in people’s lives. “Many people feel the need to live more slowly and simply. The interior is where we can create that. For many, and in many ways, it is a safe haven.”

You are known not only as the founders of Norm Architects, but also as pioneers of the slow living movement. How do you view that yourselves?
Jonas: “I understand why the media feel the need to attach a label to it. For us, ‘Norm’ essentially means building on centuries-old traditions. It stands for working with natural materials and bringing the outside in. It is also a plea for simplicity, softness and humanity. In short: far removed from anything synthetic or trend-driven. And yes, we live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information, from social media to emails, and stress levels are only increasing. As a counter-reaction, many people feel the urge to live more slowly and simply. The interior then becomes a place of calm, a safe haven that soothes and settles the nervous system. By consciously choosing colours, materials and forms, we can create spaces that are human, sensory and aligned with slow living, whether at home, in a hotel, a shop or an office. Ultimately, it is about wellbeing as the primary goal, regardless of the type of space.”

You strive for timelessness in everything you do. To what extent is that possible?
Jonas: “In our book Soft Minimal, we devoted a chapter to ‘time’. Of course, we cannot escape our own era. Even what Mies van der Rohe once presented as ‘timeless’, we now label as ‘Mid-Century’ and view through the lens of our current zeitgeist. Perhaps I should put it more precisely and describe our pursuit of timelessness instead as a hope to remain relevant.”


Norm Architects has quickly become a global reference. What marked your breakthrough, or what were key milestones?
Jonas: “For us, success often lies in small breakthroughs. The first house, the first restaurant, the first hotel, each step has opened up new doors. People come to you for what you have done before. That’s how it works, but we also always try to remain curious: new typologies, new disciplines, new challenges. Architecture only becomes truly exciting when you create something that sharpens your instincts and stimulates your curiosity, rather than repeating the same thing over and over again.”

You offer a counterbalance to the digital world, yet that same digital world has shaped your success. How do you explain that?
Jonas: “Global digitalisation has helped us enormously. Whereas twenty years ago we worked mainly locally, social media now allows us to reach people worldwide who share the same aesthetic and approach. By carefully documenting and publishing our projects, our work circulates internationally and attracts the right people – artists, fellow designers, clients and companies who are genuinely interested in what we do. Today, it significantly broadens our field of work and makes attracting new projects much easier than before, when people mainly found us because they needed an architect, rather than because they had fallen in love with our work.”

What are the challenges in conveying your vision in projects outside Denmark?
Jonas: “Building abroad is always an adventure. You are entirely dependent on local partners, people who understand the culture, the regulations, and even how to read the drawings. In Japan, for example, we have by now built strong relationships with architects we truly trust. But in other places, it is always a matter of finding the right match. What drives us is curiosity. We do not simply want to place a Scandinavian house in Sri Lanka – that would feel out of place. We try to understand local traditions, materials and building logic, without losing our own signature. From that combination – that hybrid way of thinking – something new emerges. Good architecture begins with understanding the spirit of a place. That takes time, but for us it is the only way.”

To conclude: how do you assess Belgian architecture?
Jonas: “We have great admiration for Belgian architecture. In some regions, we even feel completely at home. There is a kind of kinship between the Belgian way of building and the Scandinavian approach – and even with certain Japanese aesthetic principles. When we look at figures such as Axel Vervoordt, Vincent Van Duysen or Hans Verstuyft, we see the same sensitivity: attention to materials, simplicity, light and detail. We admire their work enormously.”

(Text: Leslie Vanhecke)

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