The House in Gurre is a minimalist single-family home by the Frederiksberg-based architecture practice Office Kim Lenschow. Located north of Copenhagen, in Gurre, the 220 square meter (nearly 2,390 square feet) residence is set within a dense forest of oak and beech trees. Designed to cultivate intimacy with its surroundings, the home frames views of the forest and draws light deep into its interior.
The architecture unfolds through a series of stepped-back volumes that create niches both inside and out. These recesses form open courtyards and sheltered exterior pockets, while also defining smaller, more private interior corners within the open plan. A central courtyard, inspired by forest clearings where light breaks through the canopy, anchors the home and brings daylight into its core. Meanwhile, subtle shifts in floor level and equal spatial volumes establish a clear rhythm, allowing for varied ceiling heights and flexible uses. Layered interior detailing echoes the exterior’s stepped geometry, gradually revealing rooms and exposing the construction’s depth.
Built from porous concrete blocks topped with a timber frame, the home’s industrial material palette contrasts with the lushness of the surrounding forest. The overall project reflects Office Kim Lenschow’s material-centered approach and emphasis on deepening the relationship between inhabitant and environment through architecture.
