A conversation with Alexandra & Casper Borg-Møller: Pioneering sustainable living
From the outset, the owners and visionaries behind Karlebo Landsted, had a clear vision: to craft a sustainable home built with natural materials, traditional craftsmanship, and a strong focus on reducing CO2 emissions. Their approach challenges conventional notions of new construction, showcasing how nature’s resources can shape a home that elevates both quality of life and environmental responsibility. Rooted in deep respect for the local surroundings and the planet, they have created a contemporary and inspiring home that sets a new standard for sustainable building innovation.
What inspired you to try to build a sustainable, CO2 neutral home?
ALEXANDRA AND CASPER: One of us is a biologist, and the other is a landscape architect, and we share a passion for and interest in the earth’s biological mechanisms and resources. The surrounding nature and the village’s architectural heritage were the touchstones for our version of a classic half-timbered house.
What values or beliefs brought you to prioritise sustainability?
A&C: We have a deep respect for the earth and its natural resources, so we chose to prioritise sustainability. Suppose everyone continues using the earth’s resources thoughtlessly, which is, more or less, what we’ve done until now. In that case, neither humanity nor the construction industry will have any hope for the future.
“ In general, we wanted to create a home where the building materials would both minimise the CO2 footprint and serve as a CO2 deposit. Our vision was to demonstrate that one can build a new house without a guilty conscience. ”
Alexandra & Casper Borg-Møller
What were some of your preliminary considerations before getting started with the project?
A&C: In general, we wanted to create a home where the building materials would both minimise the CO2 footprint and serve as a CO2 deposit. Our vision was to demonstrate that one can build a new house without a guilty conscience. As there wasn’t already a house on the lot, we didn’t have the option of renovating and transforming a preexisting structure. So, we opted for the majority of our building materials to consist of fast-growing resources that store CO2. The house’s load-bearing construction is made of timber, and the bricks are hemp. Hemp isn’t a new material, but when combined with clay and chalk, it is possible to give hemp and its incredible properties a physical form that one can actually build with.
Why did you decide to build a modern version of a traditional Danish half-timbered house?
A&C: We wanted to build a house that would sit naturally within the village’s historical context and the associated aesthetic. It was important for us to create a modern home that didn’t call too much attention to itself but would instead harmonise with the nearby structures: the old village school, the four-winged farmhouse, the old inn, and the blacksmith shop.
You’ve chosen to use many natural materials — what lies behind this decision?
A&C: Along with our beliefs about the responsible use of resources and the importance of a low carbon footprint, we wanted to create a diffusion-open home with high indoor air quality, especially as the long Danish winters mean that we spend many hours per day indoors. Clay, hemp, chalk, and grass are all exceptional materials. They naturally regulate humidity levels, which maintains the health of the building’s physical structure and its air quality. We have used clay plaster as a finish on the interior walls, hemp bricks for the wall structures — which have natural insulating properties — cut grass for roof insulation panels, and chalk for the building envelope.
Was it hard to find the materials and professional expertise necessary for a sustainable building project?
A&C: It wasn’t easy back in 2020 and 2021 when there were very few actors in the market unless you had extensive familiarity with the construction industry. We sought advice from Havnens Hænder, a sustainable supply company, and professional consultation from SMO Ark.
What was the most significant learning through your work on Karlebo Landsted?
A&C: That it isn’t dangerous or difficult to build with biobased materials, and they are easy to work with. Because of their makeup, they require only the minimum protective equipment, which is a plus, environmentally speaking.
Are there any compromises on comfort and aesthetics when you try to be as sustainable as possible?
A&C: Not at all. On the contrary, we think that the purity, forms, and textures of the materials we use enhance the house’s aesthetic and that the comfort level they afford is just as high, if not higher, than that of widely used building materials.
Have you approached interior design in the same ambitiously sustainable manner in which you built the house?
A&C: We felt it was a must. It wouldn’t have made sense not to extend our values to the interior of the house as well. Some of the clay walls are painted with clay paint, which is free of chemicals, environmental toxins, and microplastics and ensures high indoor air quality and diffusion-openness in the structure. Other clay walls haven’t been painted at all but are left exposed. All the light fixtures and furnishings were either purchased used, inherited, or upcycled, and the furniture is primarily made of wood. The curtains are made of repurposed polyester. The doors have flaxboard cores and pinewood frames, and they were handmade by a family-owned business that still produces doors based on traditional principles.
How can design help to advance a more sustainable lifestyle?
A&C: We believe that simple and robust design that employs long-lasting materials is part of a sustainable lifestyle. You can also show your children that furniture built to last multiple generations is a good investment, both economically and environmentally. We believe that design, including furniture, should be timeless, created with a focus on functionality rather than decoration.
What is it like to live in a sustainable house daily? Is there anything that has surprised you?
A&C: We expected it to be nice, but we’re still surprised at just how comfortable it is. The properties of hemp and clay really benefit the indoor air quality all year round.
In what ways do you hope that your house will inspire others to think more sustainably?
A&C: We hope our house will inspire people who learn about it to make a little extra effort regarding their choice of building materials, whether they’re planning to renovate or build a new home. The materials are accessible and easy to use.
Bringing a place to life
Harmonious interior design caters to a spectrum of human needs — from physical comfort to emotional and social fulfilment — creating environments that respect the varied ways people live, work, and connect. A balanced approach, integrating well-crafted furniture, transforms a space into an energising sanctuary, blending connection and solitude.
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