CORNELIUS VÖGE ApS
Atelier for Arkitektur
Hedegade 1
4000 Roskilde
T: +45 2290 0695
E: atelier@corneliusvoge.dk
Member of Danske Ark
Member of Green Building Council Denmark
CSR STRATEGY
At Cornelius Vöge we work deliberately to give more than we take. This applies whether we are transforming existing buildings through the reuse of materials, creating robust and durable solutions for future generations, or designing new buildings with deep respect for both place and users.
Our advisory services are grounded in the latest research combined with 20 years of experience. They include strategic consultancy, early-stage analysis, stakeholder and user engagement, concept development and sketch design, as well as design development and project execution.
As a recognised Danish architectural practice with multiple national and international awards we carry a responsibility. We recognise that the architectural industry requires practices that support a sustainable working culture within a highly competitive profession – regardless of employees’ career stage.
We do not work alone. We are known among our partners as a trusted and dedicated collaborator, delivering a high level of service, navigating complex projects with confidence, and guiding both clients and processes safely to completion. Our CSR strategy is embedded both in collaboration with external partners and in our internal working practices.
On this basis, we have defined these five focus areas:
- Sustainability
- Social and industry responsibility
- Work-life balance
- Inclusion and community
- Local engagement
SUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES
Behind Cornelius Vöge’s award-winning architecture lies rigorous preparatory work, where each site is analysed in depth to ensure a respectful and resource-conscious approach.
Across all projects, we maintain a continuous focus on aesthetics, quality, craftsmanship, and climate impact. Materials are selected with care, with attention to durability, longevity, robustness and fine detailing, and their ability to age gracefully.
In our transformation projects, valuable existing elements and structures are identified and preserved as guiding references for further work. Each building component is assessed in terms of its physical condition, characteristics, lifespan, and architectural value, with the aim of reusing materials and elements wherever possible.
All projects are guided by high sustainability ambitions, with a focus on reuse and low environmental impact. Lifecycle assessments (LCA) and lifecycle cost analyses (LCC) are applied alongside continuous considerations of aesthetics, quality, and craftsmanship. We believe that all construction carries responsibility. By our own standards, new buildings should last for at least three to four generations, with each generation having their needs meaningfully accommodated within the built environment.
For us, the reuse of materials and the efficient use of local resources are not stylistic choices, but fundamental principles embedded in our architectural approach. We design buildings that are capable of standing the test of time and creating long-term value for future generations. Architecture, in our view, is the added value that strengthens every project – whether building, urban planning, or landscape – increasing both longevity and overall quality.
Sustainability is deeply embedded in our methods, guided by a commitment to quality, durability, and minimal environmental impact.
SOCIAL AND INDUSTRY RESPONSIBILITY
At Cornelius Vöge, we recognise the importance of interns and high-quality internship experiences for the future talent pipeline and ecosystem of the architectural profession. Each year, we allocate resources and experienced architects to ensure that interns receive a strong and engaging introduction to professional practice within a living studio environment.
In our practice, interns are not just additional labour, but active contributors to a collaborative workplace where personal and professional development go hand in hand. Several of our current architects began their careers as interns or students at Cornelius Vöge, something we are proud of.
We are also proud to support colleagues who require a more flexible pathway back into the labour market. Flexible employment arrangements are therefore an integrated part of our hiring approach. The studio currently employs two colleagues in such roles, contributing to a range of internal functions.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Since its founding 20 years ago, Cornelius Vöge has been built on a fundamental belief in equal opportunity and access. We are committed to providing all employees with working conditions that support a healthy balance between professional and private life.
Today, the studio has an equal gender distribution. We recognise that many young architects have traditionally faced significant barriers when establishing themselves in the profession, often at the expense of their personal lives and family formation due to demanding working conditions and high pressure.
At Cornelius Vöge, we do not see work and family life as mutually exclusive. Parental leave for both mothers and fathers is a fundamental condition of working life, without compromising future career opportunities.
Strong leadership and proactive planning enable us to maintain a consistently high level of service for our partners. In return, we benefit from a committed and stable working community with long-term employee relationships.
INCLUSION AND COMMUNITY
Cornelius Vöge’s architecture connects past and present, creating new narratives for users, urban space, and the city. It also creates informal meeting places and gathering points that foster community, wellbeing, and diversity in an increasingly fragmented society.
A key focus of our work is the creation of informal, inclusive meeting spaces. Our ambition to introduce low-commitment forms of community into buildings and urban spaces is central to addressing challenges related to wellbeing and mental health.
People need places where we can meet without obligation – spaces that are open, accessible, and not defined by consumption or performance, yet still meaningfully inclusive of diverse groups and responsive to a range of needs. At Cornelius Vöge, we actively design and curate these “third places” – neither home nor work – where people can simply be together, even side by side.
In several ongoing projects, we are integrating the latest research directly into practice. To support this, we have translated research-based knowledge and long-standing experience with user behaviour and gathering spaces into three guiding frameworks: why, what, and how. These serve as dynamic tools in the development of places that bring people together, and in interdisciplinary collaboration.
The studio brings together a wide range of disciplines – from architects and specialists to communication professionals. This diversity enables us to address complex societal challenges that traditionally fall outside the conventional role of architecture.
For us, context is an essential and non-negotiable part of every project. We therefore work with local, physical, and historical conditions while also engaging with socio-cultural and organisational contexts throughout all phases of design.
LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Our identity as a locally rooted practice is not simply a matter of geography – our location in the cathedral city of Roskilde is an inseparable part of our history and identity. As such, strong local engagement is an integral part of our strategy.
Over the years, we have developed close relationships with local health, leisure, and cultural organisations. Our contributions to the local community span/combine architectural and socio-cultural expertise, focusing on the development of places that enhance wellbeing, social inclusion, and community.
In addition, we support local initiatives through sponsorships and advisory services that help enable access to funding on advantageous terms. These contributions support cultural and equality-focused initiatives, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups and young people.
We are proud that projects such as INSP, Koncertkapellet, and Fletværket for Roskilde Girls Football have contributed positively to the local community.
Our local commitment is also reflected in an active procurement policy that prioritises local production as well as sustainable and organic products, or other forms of certified sustainable production.
We consciously choose to support local businesses when purchasing goods and services, as we believe that a strong local economy – in the city from which we operate – also strengthens our own opportunities for development.