MASU Planning

From the Archives: Verdenspladsen aka Gellerup Sports and Culture Campus //

Gellerup, in Aarhus — Denmark’s second-largest city — is undergoing a major transformation.

Verdenspladsen (The World Square) is an urban space that connects Gellerup’s cultural, sports and leisure institutions and acts as a natural extension of the programmes of the surrounding buildings — including the library, community associations, swimming pool, sports clubs and circus school.

The square is articulated by abstract, multifunctional forms that rise from the surface, creating an inspiring and playful environment.

The paving is partly made from reclaimed materials sourced from the municipality’s material bank. Two-metre-long concrete tiles, previously used at Aarhus Harbour, have been given a new life as part of the square’s surface.

The green character of the adjacent City Park is drawn into Verdenspladsen through strategically placed trees. They provide shelter, spatial variation and a series of intimate spaces within the larger square. Their canopies contribute to a green and lush atmosphere, while clear views are maintained between the trunks, ensuring a sense of openness, visibility and safety for people moving through and spending time in the square.

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TEAM
MASU Planning (Landscape architect), Schmidt Hammer Lassen (architects), Loop Architects. COWI, 2+1 idébureau

Client: Municipality of Aarhus / Brabrand Boligforening

Size: 3,000 m2

Timeline: 1st prize in competition, 2016 / Completed 2024

Photographs by Kasper Palsnov

MASU on MASU: Grønnegade Square //

"When I was younger, our group of skaters occasionally travelled from Svendborg to Odense during the winter. Our destination was the parking garage beneath Grønnegade, but on the way down into the parking garage, we passed through a square that caught our attention.

As a skater, you look at urban spaces in a particular way. You count steps, assess the height of ledges and the gradients of slopes, and notice even the smallest details and changes in surfaces.

The paving needs to be smooth enough to skate on, but the surroundings can also have a distinctive aesthetic quality. If you film a trick, the surroundings matter to the finished clip. Grønnegade had both. The paving was smooth, the colours were warm, and the furniture was sculptural.

Years later, I studied landscape architecture and attended a lecture on paving and paving patterns. Grønnegade was presented as an example of a particularly detailed project.

During the lecture, I began to understand why I had noticed the square back then. The warm bricks were not simply chosen for their appearance. They draw on an existing material tradition in Odense, but are used in a new way, arranged in an organic pattern that gives the square its own identity.

Starting to work at MASU Planning has brought the story full circle in the best possible way. I have joined the company behind one of the first urban spaces that made an impression on me, several years before I knew what landscape architecture was — and long before I knew that I would eventually end up working with it myself.”

Thomas Lindtorp Pedersen
Landscape architect, MASU Planning

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Grønnegade Square: Main Advisor: MASU Planning, Clients: Municipality of Odense and Realdania.

Landscape Architecture as a Catalyst for Holistic Urban Development //

On August 24, Malin Blomqvist will give a lecture at Norwegian ArchFest 2026 in Haugesund.

Through projects such as Fingerplanen 2.0, Roskilde Vest, H.C. Andersen’s Garden (Denmark), Töölöviksparken (Finland), and Rosendal Square (Sweden), Malin will showcase how we strategically use landscape architecture as a catalyst for holistic urban development.

The festival is part of the Den norske filmfestivalen / Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund and is organized in collaboration with Holon, Volum, Arkipelet, Norconsult, Link, and the Stavanger Arkitektforening.

The organizers promise “film, parties and lectures, where we delve into architectural psychology under the title You, Me and Architectural Psychology – in a Brutal World."

Explore this year’s program →
https://mcusercontent.com/2c6fb9deee0dc88695d4cab74/files/92eda749-8c02-cf19-9109-09fc66fd286e/Archfest_Programme_2026_1_.pdf

Portrait photograph by Kirstine Autzen

Say hi to Thomas… //

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Thomas Lindtorp Pedersen, who joins us as our new Landscape Architect at our Copenhagen office.

“As awareness of climate change, biodiversity loss and the quality of our public spaces grows, landscape architecture is becoming much more visible to both the public and politicians. As a result, landscape architecture is moving from being a niche discipline to becoming a central part of how society responds to major challenges,” says Thomas in his welcome interview.

Thomas brings professional experience from Opland, Urban Landscape, and JUUL FROST Arkitekter. In addition to his experience in professional practice, Thomas has also taught at the University of Copenhagen, where he earned his master’s degree in landscape architecture in 2021.

Say hi to Thomas → https://www.masuplanning.com/news/sayhitothomas

Back to school… //

As Danish pupils return to school after the summer holidays, we’re taking the opportunity to share our design for Tjørnegårdskolen in Roskilde.

The new schoolyard connects the school with the neighbourhood — it is a landscape to be used by pupils and teachers, while also serving as a vibrant meeting place that reinforces the school’s identity and role within the local community.

Tjørnegårdskolen’s new landscape accommodates a variety of user needs — whether they want to be physically active, use the outdoor spaces as an extension of the indoor learning facilities or simply socialise.

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TEAM

Landscape architect and main advisor: MASU Planning.

Engineers: Silberg Rådgivende Ingeniører.

Baseball court: StreetBall Consulting.

Client: Municipality of Roskilde

Photographs by Marcel Schwarz (drone) and Kirstine Autzen.

Roskilde Municipality Nominated for Brolæggerprisen //

"An ambitious urban renewal project in which existing granite paving has been carefully reused and integrated with great respect for the site's history. The project demonstrates how sustainability, high-quality craftsmanship, and contemporary urban design can be successfully combined." – Jury motivation for nominating Roskilde Municipality / Hestetorvet for Brolæggerprisen (The Paving Award) 2026.

Increased greenery, enhanced recreational value, and reuse of existing materials have been key priorities in the renewal of Hestetorvet, which was inaugurated in mid-June.

Since 1986, Brolæggerprisen has been awarded to projects, individuals, or initiatives that make an outstanding contribution to the development, advancement, and promotion of the paving profession.

This year, Roskilde Municipality has been nominated alongside Aarhus Municipality for Rundehøj Torv in Højbjerg and engineer Henrik Majlund.

The winner will be announced later this year – may the best project, or person, win!

Find out more at Dansk Industri (Text in Danish) → https://www.danskindustri.dk/medlemsforeninger/brolaggerlauget/nyhedsarkiv/2026/brolaggerprisen-2026/

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FACT BOX: Renewal of Hestetorvet

Client: Roskilde Kommune

Lead consultant: MASU Planning

Main Contractor and landscape gardener: Scheller, Hougaard & Petersen A/S. Sub-Contractor: Roskilde Brolægning

Area: approx. 5,000 m²

Award: Brolæggerlauget / Dansk Industri - DI

Photographs: MASU Planning and Municipality of Roskilde

Office in Focus… //

We’re celebrating our return to our offices with an Office-in-Focus-feature on Landezine.

Visit https://landezine.com/masu-planning/ and find out more about our What, Why, and How, and dive into projects such as Nørrebro Gathers on the Field, The A-House, and H.C. Andersen’s House and Garden.

Thank you, Landezine, for your interest!

Summer Greetings from MASU Planning //

After six exciting and busy months, we’re taking some time off to relax and recharge.

We’d like to thank everyone we've been in touch and collaborated with during the first half of 2026.

Enjoy the summer, take time to do whatever you love most, and take care of yourselves and one another.

Our Copenhagen and Helsinki offices will remain open, with team members taking turns on holidays.

See you well-rested, vitamin D-enriched, and hopefully a bit more tanned on the other side.

From Cemetery to Park Space – Making Room for Both Life and Grief //

"The development plan divides Solbjerg Park Cemetery into a series of zones with distinct atmospheres and characteristics, all rooted in the site's existing qualities. As visitors move along the winding path, they encounter a greater diversity of light conditions, built structures, landscape qualities, spatial experiences, and vegetation. Along the route, a number of focal points create opportunities for different activities and needs while maintaining respect for the cemetery's original purpose."

Changing burial practices are freeing up space in our cemeteries, revealing an untapped potential for new forms of land use.

In the latest issue of Kirkegården (The Cemetery), Sune Oslev and Olivia Gehl present our development plan for Solbjerg Park Cemetery (Solbjerg Parkkirkegård) in Frederiksberg, Denmark – a plan that creates space for both everyday life and the processing of grief.

The article also presents six key observations for the development of the cemeteries of the future.

Kirkegården is published by Foreningen af Danske Kirkegårdsledere (The Danish Association of Cemetery Managers, FDK).

We are grateful for the opportunity to share our ideas.

Adding Greenery to Karamzininranta //

Located between Finlandia Hall and Töölönlahdenpuisto, the Karamzininranta area is being transformed into a park-like square that respects its prestigious surroundings and the cultural heritage of Finlandia Hall.

A significant portion of the paved area will be converted into lush planting beds featuring shrubs, flowers, and deciduous trees. The new vegetation will be rich in species and designed to support well-being of both humans and pollinators.

Between the planting areas, lawns of various sizes will provide open green spaces, while seating plinths will frame the edges of the area. A subtle water installation will further add to the experience of the area.

When the project is completed in July 2027, Karamzininranta and Finlandia Hall will be both visually and physically better connected to Töölönlahdenpuisto, which is also undergoing transformation.

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Landscape architect and main advisor: MASU Planning

Client: City of Helsinki