Renowned Danish architect Henning Larsen, long recognized as a master of light, died at his home in Copenhagen on June 22, 2013, at the age of 87. Poignantly, his death occurred on the summer solstice, a day of celebration of natural light in the Nordic countries. The partners of Henning Larsen Architects made the announcement via the firm’s website, with the declaration that “the funeral will take place in silence.”
The silence left by the absence of the architect resounds, however, with the built, educational, and cultural accomplishments of a long and distinguished career. Throughout over 50 years of a professional practice based in Copenhagen – beginning from a small independent studio in 1959 to the contemporary, multi-national, 120-person design office – Larsen received international recognition for significant works across a spectrum of public buildings and a range of locales and cultures, including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1989. The last year – even the last weeks – prior to Larsen’s death had brought an extraordinary set of honors to the architect and practice: His Royal Highness the Prince Consort of Denmark's Europe Nostra Award 2013 for contributions to Danish culture; the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture/Mies van der Rohe Award 2013 for the Harpa, a concert hall and conference center in Reykjavik (designed in collaboration with Batteriið Architects and Studio Olafur Eliasson); and in November 2012, the Praemium Imperiale, the global arts prize awarded annually by the Japan Art Association.
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