Barn Again Pavilion by THISS Studio + Tom Svilans: A Celebration of Slow Architecture in Copenhagen

Copenhagen’s inaugural 2025 Architecture Biennale invites visitors to embrace the concept of slowness—and nowhere is this more evident than in the Barn Again Pavilion, designed by London-based THISS Studio in collaboration with architect Tom Svilans. Situated in the historic Gammel Strand, the pavilion is a thoughtful exploration of timber reuse, sustainability, and craft, embodying the festival’s theme: Slow Down.

A Timber Pavilion Rooted in History

Barn Again is a striking timber structure composed entirely of salvaged Norwegian barn beams, repurposed to form a pavilion that tapers upwards to a pointed form. Each timber element retains its weathered surfaces, original joinery, and aged connections, telling the story of its previous life while being carefully reconfigured with precisely machined joints for its new function. This interplay between old and new celebrates the material’s lifecycle, extending the life of the wood in a modern architectural context.

The pavilion’s design highlights the beauty of reclaimed materials, offering an immersive lesson in sustainable construction and circular architecture. Visitors experience a layered history, where craftsmanship, reuse, and careful detailing merge to create a visually and tactilely rich environment.

Slow Architecture and Sensory Experience

At its core, Barn Again encourages visitors to slow down, pause, and reflect. The pavilion features openings and thresholds that balance transparency with intimacy, while sheltered seating and a small kiosk foster communal gathering and quiet contemplation.

Enhancing the sensory dimension, British design studio EJM created three suspended censers, filling the pavilion with a meditative atmosphere. A bespoke scent, formulated with the B Corp skincare brand formerly known as Haeckels, complements the architecture, creating a multi-sensory experience that deepens the visitor’s connection to the space.

Sustainability and Future Reuse

THISS Studio and Tom Svilans have approached Barn Again with the entire lifecycle of timber in mind. Collaborating with structural engineers Bollinger+Grohmann and contractor Winther AS, the pavilion is fully demountable and reusable, ensuring that its materials can continue to serve future projects. The design emphasizes not just physical sustainability, but also temporal slowness, inviting visitors to suspend their daily routines and reflect on the passage of time.

Sash Scott, Co-Founder of THISS Studio, explains:

“Slowing down may be the wider theme of the festival, but it’s a practice we should all remember; to design and live with intention is surely a good path to a more sustainable and connected world.”

Tom Svilans adds:

“Original Norwegian barn timbers, with their integral wood joints and dowels, embody slow, considered craftsmanship. In Barn Again, tradition is overlaid with delicate modern detailing, respecting and extending the timber's story. It is wonderful to see this on the international stage.”

A Pavilion That Inspires Reflection

The Barn Again Pavilion is more than a structure—it is a meditation on time, craft, and sustainability. Through its innovative use of reclaimed timber, sensory design elements, and thoughtful programming, the pavilion exemplifies the potential of architecture to slow down urban life and connect communities. As an international showcase at the Copenhagen Architecture Biennale, Barn Again demonstrates how reclaimed materials and careful detailing can create spaces that are both functional and deeply meaningful.

All photographs are works of Maja Flink