Exciting progress is underway at Hyllegaard Høje, a visionary large-scale co-housing community in Hvalsø in Lejre Kommune. More than just a neighbourhood, Hyllegaard Høje is a reimagining of how we live, build, and connect—with each other and with nature.

Just 30 minutes from Copenhagen, this cooperative community brings together homes built around shared living, permaculture farming, afforestation, and a geothermal and solar energy system that fully meets the community’s energy needs.

As advisors and architects for Hyllegaard Udvikling ApS, we have helped shape:

1. An ambitious masterplan that reflects the community’s social and environmental goals.
2. A design manual that sets requirements for responsible construction – an open-source resource to inspire others in creating holistic, intentional communities.
3. Sjællandsk Muld – the first completed co-housing cluster within Hyllegaard Høje’s six-phase vision

With 35 families now settling into Sjællandsk Muld, we’ve had the unique opportunity to put our design principles into practice—co-creating these homes alongside residents, Hyllegaard Høje, Almenr Byggefællesskaber and Enemærke & Petersen a/s. The architecture reflects the community’s ambitions through:

- Biogenic building materials
- Design for community living, featuring a range of shared spaces—from a communal house to intimate outdoor gathering areas
- Vapor-permeable construction
- Energy and heating self-sufficiency
- Design solutions that integrate nature, including roof overhangs and split-level homes, while adapting to diverse needs and lifestyles.

Photos: Ulrik Mathiasson/EFFEKT