By Anna Skovby Hansen

10. april 2025

The Architecture We Don’t See – But Always Feel: Architecture is everywhere in our lives – even when we don’t notice it. It’s in the tiles under our feet, the light through the kitchen window, the sense of safety on a quiet street, and whether we meet a friendly glance in the stairwell or just a closed door.

Have you asked yourself recently how satisfied you are with life – on a scale from 0 to 10? No? Give it a try. According to the »Vores Livskvalitet« study by Realdania, the Danish average is 7.51. If you score higher, you’re actually more satisfied with life than the average Dane.

But what drives that number up or down? It might have more to do with our surroundings than we think.

Architecture isn’t just striking façades, iconic public spaces, or designer furniture – it’s the invisible backdrop to our daily lives. From the daycare playground and the schoolyard climbing wall to coffee rings on the kitchen counter and the final farewell in a coffin – architecture is with us through all of life’s moments. It shapes not only our physical environment but also our emotions, possibilities, and well-being. As Winston Churchill once said:

»We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.«

Photo: Unsplash, Therese Moulton Skaar

Quality of life is a subjective concept that describes how people experience their life as a whole – over time.

Unlike happiness, which often reflects moments and emotions in the here and now, quality of life is a more stable assessment: a personal evaluation of how good life feels from a broader perspective.

It is typically measured on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst imaginable life and 10 is the best.

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for a good life – quality of life is about how we personally experience it.

Source: Henrik Mahncke, Head of Analysis at Realdania.

Architecture Exists at Every Scale

Architecture is more than bricks and square footage – it’s the story of what a good life looks like. Is it green or gray? Does it have a balcony or a backyard? Is it full of life or closed off?

Henrik Mahncke, Head of Analysis at Realdania and author of “Our Quality of Life”, has extensively studied how architecture influences well-being in Denmark. He emphasizes that architecture significantly impacts how we feel.

»Just like nature affects us, so does architecture. It’s something we create from scratch – and it shapes us all the way to the core of who we are,« says Henrik Mahncke.

We often associate architecture with grand buildings or dramatic city squares. But it’s also the bike lane, the width of the sidewalk, and the dining table in your kitchen.

Kaya Roessler, architectural psychologist at the University of Southern Denmark, highlights how architecture affects our senses and emotions:

»When people think about architecture, they often picture buildings. But it also includes green spaces and how we decorate our homes – which expresses our identity. Interior design becomes a way of designing our lives,« Roessler explains.

In fact, studies show that the size of your dining table influences how often you invite people over. Everyday details have a major impact on how connected we feel to others – something that’s crucial for good quality of life.

Photo: Unsplash, Ignacio Brosa

The Home Is the Danish Favorite

Henrik Mahncke isn’t surprised that Danes consume home renovation shows like candy. Whether it’s Location, Location, Location, Under the Hammer, House in Crisis, or Blind Home Purchase, the list is long – and the fascination is real.

That love isn’t random. According to Mahncke, Danes spend up to 60% of their time within their home’s four walls.

»It’s clear that our physical surroundings – especially our home – affect us, because it’s where we spend the most time. The home becomes a kind of behavioral regulator, even if we don’t think about it. That’s why home shows are so popular in Denmark – we’re genuinely invested in shaping our own habitat,« says Henrik Mahncke. Perhaps that’s why Danes spend more time and money improving their homes than most other Europeans.

And it’s worth thinking about where and how we live. Our home is the single most important factor for quality of life. According to “Vores Livskvalitet”, satisfaction with one’s home accounts for 20% of overall life satisfaction.

Mahncke paints the picture of a Saturday morning spent painting or raking leaves. These activities create a sense of mastery and flow, he explains. It’s like baking sourdough bread or playing board games – it shifts your mindset and helps you reconnect with yourself. Homeowners tend to do more DIY work because they can personalize their space, unlike renters who have fewer options. That’s why housing type also impacts life quality – it defines what’s possible.

»After a full Saturday of yardwork or housework, that beer just tastes better,« Mahncke says with a smile.

Relationships Are Literally Built

Quality of life isn’t just about what’s around us – but also who is around us. And once again, architecture plays a key role in how we connect. Do we meet the neighbor in the stairwell or the courtyard? Do we wave across the hedge? Are we on a first-name basis with the local florist?

»Our data shows that shared spaces – like courtyards or rooftop terraces – make a big difference. They foster contact between neighbors. When those spaces are missing, neighbor relationships are noticeably weaker,« Henrik Mahncke notes.

This is especially true in cities, where it’s easy to live parallel lives without interacting. We may see each other on the street or subway, but that doesn’t mean we feel connected. These light-touch relationships – where we exchange a quick hello – are crucial for mental health.

So next time you hesitate to leave your apartment until your neighbor’s gone, consider the value of a simple stairwell greeting – or a smile in the checkout line.

»We need to explore how architecture can help solve relational challenges in society. Denmark builds stunning architecture – but we must also ask how it can strengthen social bonds,« says Kaya Roessler.

Photo: Unsplash, Patrick Federi

Green Spaces Offer Calm and Presence

According to neuroscientist Troels W. Kjær, modern humans are exposed to 400 times more sensory input daily than people were in the 1700s. So it’s no wonder we increasingly crave green breathing spaces – not necessarily wild nature, but parks, gardens, balconies, and water.

»Just being able to sit in a garden or take a walk in a park makes a huge difference. Our habits are shaped by whether we have access to those options,«says Henrik Mahncke.

The numbers back this up: people with access to green spaces score an average of 7.57 in life satisfaction – compared to 6.79 for those without.

And then there’s water. According to Roessler, we have a special connection to water because it moves. Lakes, coastlines, and harbors can make an extra difference.

»One thing’s for sure: we need green spaces throughout life. Whether it’s a park, a garden, or a cemetery, access to nature greatly impacts our quality of life,« says Kaya Roessler.

Architecture Is Everywhere – That’s Why We Forget It. But when we do pay attention, we begin to understand how deeply it shapes our lives – from our kitchen table to our neighborly bonds and the green spaces we retreat to.