MASU Planning

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

Concept Plan for Vantaanjoki //

In collaboration with the City of Helsinki, we have developed an urban structure and landscape concept plan for Vantaanjoki (the Vantaa River).

The concept plan repositions Helsinki’s largest river as the backbone for future development.

It is structured around four overarching themes that will guide and inspire the area's future transformation:

/ The river as the heart and identity of the area

/ Creating a green recreational oasis

/ Securing a thriving ecological network

/ Identifying five key development areas

Together, these four themes balance development with the preservation of natural landscapes, enhanced public life, and biodiversity.

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Client: City of Helsinki

Lead Consultant and Landscape Architect: MASU Planning

Hestetorvet Inaugurated //

The weather was on our side on Friday when Mayor Tomas Breddam and Chair of the Planning and Technical Committee Claus Larsen inaugurated Hestetorvet in Roskilde.

Increased greenery and recreational value have been key priorities. A combination of 28 new evergreen and deciduous trees, together with new planting beds, has created a green and inviting park-like space whose character will evolve throughout the seasons.

To reduce the project's climate footprint, Roskilde Municipality has prioritised reuse of materials. The new paving primarily consists of existing cobblestones, kerbstones, and granite steps that have been carefully removed and repurposed in new patterns and functions throughout the project.

"I have great respect for this project, as I live in and grew up in Roskilde. It is with equal parts humility and enthusiasm that our studio has been given the opportunity to work on this central and very important urban space for Roskilde, connecting the station area with the commercial and historic city centre. I am pleased that we have been able to contribute to creating a worthy arrival square for Roskilde," says Sune Oslev, Partner at MASU Planning

The transformation of Hestetorvet is part of a broader urban development initiative focused on enhancing urban life in the city centre og Roskilde.

Photographs by Roskilde Kommune.

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FACT BOX: Renewal of Hestetorvet

Client: Roskilde Kommune

Lead consultant: MASU Planning

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

Area: approx. 5,000 m²

INTRODUCING LILY – An Invitation to Linger //

“Traditional canopies can be quite formal, with four corners and a large, square roof. The goal was to create a canopy that could support informal use of urban and park spaces while simultaneously creating shelter and a sense of intimacy, much like being beneath a tree. For Nørrebro Gathers at the Field, we needed something lighter, smaller, and more understated. Together with HITSA, we created LILY – a shelter scaled to fit even relatively small urban spaces,” says Sune Oslev, Partner at MASU Planning and creator of LILY.

Named after the water plant, LILY is a collaboration between HITSA and MASU Planning. The round-roof canopy offers more than just shelter from the rain or shade from the sun. It creates a sense of place and invites people to linger. It can be used on its own or combined to encourage informal stays in the park, courtyard, playground, or on the beach.

Available in two sizes, LILY features an asymmetrically positioned column formed from four sturdy tubes that radiate like veins beneath a giant leaf, evoking associations with organic and botanical forms.

Find out more about the LILY Shelter at HITSA → https://hitsa.com/products/lily-shelter/

Photographs by Torben Eskerod