Søren Pihlmann
Søren Pihlmann (b. 1987) is the founder of Copenhagen-based Pihlmann Architects. His work operates through transformation and generative preservation, pursuing potential in residuals. The already present serves as the point of departure, whether in applied materials, construction systems, or production logics. By bridging the overproduced and the undervalued through crafted iteration, his work opens expanded modes of evaluation by exposing what is typically concealed.
In recent years, Pihlmann has made a significant impact on the Danish and international architectural scene through a series of transformations that have shaped discourse on reuse, maintenance, and architectural responsibility. His practice challenges conventional hierarchies of value by treating existing buildings as material banks and resources.
This approach is exemplified by the transformation of Thoravej 29, in which 95 percent of the materials from the existing building were reused on site. The project has received wide recognition and is currently shortlisted for the EUmies Awards. The practice has also been recognized through a finalist position for Dezeen’s Emerging Architect of the Year 2025 and a highly commended mention at The Architectural Review Emerging Award 2025.
In 2024, Pihlmann served as curator of the Danish Pavilion at the Biennale Architettura di Venezia, where he initiated a renovation of the pavilion itself to address recurrent flooding and used surplus material from the construction process as the core of the exhibition. This work reflects a practice grounded in careful curation and engagement with what is at hand.
