We love the story of your family staying in your small apartment as you didn't want to compromise on the community that was essentially an extension of your home. How do you define a thriving neighbourhood, and why is it crucial to view a neighbourhood as the living area beyond the walls of our homes?

My husband and I lived in a small three-room apartment in Vesterbro (a lovely neighbourhood in Copenhagen) for twelve years. After our two children were born, we optimised every corner of the apartment. A few years later, we needed more space, and went house hunting. Every time we looked at a new apartment in another neighbourhood, we came back to Vesterbro and were reminded of how much we loved our neighbourhood. We had a lovely courtyard where the children played for hours. We were living near the local square, where we often met with friends, played, and had dinner. Many local places, which became an extension of our home, could not be replaced by an extra room in a new place. 

I tell my personal story to highlight the difference between a housing area and a homely neighbourhood. While a housing area may consist of a high concentration of homes, it often lacks a unique local identity and social cohesion. Many housing areas struggle to promote either security, belonging or ownership. In contrast, a thriving neighbourhood is more than just a place to live - it is a common identity and a way of living.

How can the built environment help foster a sense of belonging and community identity? Why is it important for individuals to feel they are part of something bigger?

Research shows that neighbourhoods can have several positive social effects on residents, including improved well-being, reduced loneliness, strengthened sense of belonging, promotion of social relationships, and increased collective action directed towards social change. These benefits are not only relevant from a social standpoint but also from an economic perspective. The trend is that residents in thriving neighbourhoods create a long-term home. They are proud of their local community, contribute to its local identity, keep their properties in good condition, and participate in local activities. This positive spiral promotes a sense of respect, empathy, and mutual support among neighbours, increasing the quality of life and making the neighbourhood an attractive place to live.

All of this is extremely relevant considering the need to revitalise the existing, rather than building new. Transforming housing areas into thriving neighbourhoods can become our tool to increase quality of life, equality, and social inclusion in the built environment. To minimise building new housing areas, we need to rejuvenate the existing housing stock – which is sometimes physical transformation but often it’s a change in policy, organisation and culture. We need to add soul and unique locality to existing housing areas, so they can function as a good home where residents love to live – in the long run. 



Revitalising neighbourhoods in Neighborhood Lab isn’t necessarily about large-scale transformation—it’s often about small and strategic interventions that create a ripple effect in the neighbourhood. We strengthen communities by developing strategies that engage stakeholders, empower skills and activate unused spaces.

You talk about the need for more strategic thinking in the design of our built environment and you have a PhD in socially sustainable living environments. What role does more thoughtful urban planning play in enhancing the social value of our neighbourhoods?

I have worked with social sustainability for almost two decades. After Covid and with the rise of the impact movement, I realised that our field (building industry) often relies on assumptions rather than data. That’s why I founded Neighborhood Lab (almost two years ago)—to build an impact-driven approach based on data – approaching social sustainability, as rigorous as environmental sustainability. 



Today, social issues are widely recognised, with ESG reporting in Europe now including social dimensions in real estate. Treating the 'S' as strategically as the 'E.' Real estate has a critical role in expending ‘net-zero’ to reducing loneliness, stress and inequality. ESG is an opportunity to move from gut feeling to a measurable, adaptable impact, building a culture where social effects are tracked and improved.



On top of that, social sustainability can’t be addressed on a single lot; it requires a holistic, broader perspective. The neighbourhood is the ideal scale for impactful change. Each property, street and public space could add value to the community, whether through shared spaces, green streetscapes, or neighbourhood activities. Our role is to help communities and clients realise these possibilities and make them real.

Who should typically bear the financial burden of neighbourhood transformations, and who stands to benefit the most? And what are some perhaps unexpected returns on investment for developers?

It depends on the type of transformation. Larger transformations often rely on public funding from municipalities and social housing, but we can do more. Public funds alone can’t solve every social challenge, which is why we focus on helping private investors actively participate in neighbourhood revitalisation. It is not philanthropy; it is about creating better living environments. By adopting a neighbourhood perspective, investors can extend the sense of home beyond the individual properties and create places where people love living. When residents are happy, economic stability follows—properties stay full, and crime and vandalism stay out.

In a recent project, we developed a strategy to engage local businesses in fostering social cohesion, trust and community engagement. Together with social housing associations, we created a step-by-step tool to make it easy for public housing to partner with local private companies. This initiative opens doors to new partnerships, where companies might contribute by offering facilities, hosting events, providing jobs, or supporting skills development, while public housing brings local insights, coordinates efforts, and expands the talent pool. Both can leverage the results of their ESG reports and more importantly – to boost community impact. We need to think creatively and act proactively—this project is a perfect example.

The Circular Play Station, a concept co-developed with WSP Denmark and won an honourable mention at the “Neighbourhoods for Generations” competition. Image credit: WSP Denmark and Neighborhood Lab 

You co-developed the concept of Circular Play Station with WSP Denmark which won an honourable mention at the “Neighbourhoods for Generations” competition. What inspired you to create this concept and how did you balance the needs of the different age groups (children and seniors) in the design process? Were there any specific challenges in integrating intergenerational interactions?

The driving inspiration behind this project was the question: What if seniors could volunteer to mentor children, teach new skills, ignite curiosity and become role models for the future? This vision was the foundation of The Circular Play Station, which offers children a free space to play, explore and grow under the guidance of local seniors. The term "Circular" reflects both the cycle of knowledge shared across generations and the use of recycled materials for construction and play.

This multi-generational interaction aims for social impact for both the seniors and children and is designed for young children (6-12 years) and recently retired seniors (65-75 years). This age for children is critical for personal development, yet they often spend inactive hours on screens and face rising mental health challenges. The Circular Play Station offers an inclusive, free space for active play, creativity, and social interaction—an investment in the next generation’s confidence, identity and skills.

Seniors in Denmark are at greater risk of loneliness, which can impact both physical and mental health. Keeping seniors socially engaged helps combat loneliness, and many have both the time and desire to contribute meaningfully to their communities. They bring valuable life experience, skills, and stories and can become positive role models for children.

Beyond bridging generations, The Circular Play Station also strengthens community bonds through shared responsibility for sustainability. By creatively incorporating recycled materials, it makes recycling an engaging, community-driven project, promoting a more sustainable future.

The challenge with this project is that it remains at a conceptual level. In practice, it needs to be developed with the engagement of children and seniors to ensure it meets their needs and interests. Otherwise, we risk creating a concept that may not stand the test of reality.