Rasmus Hjortshøj's TØNDER was commissioned by the very talented Danish architecture office SLETH led by Søren Leth and Rasmus Therkildsen. The building is an extension and renovation of the existing town hall of Tønder originally designed by the icelandic architect Halldor Gunnløgsson. SLETH's design focuses on preserving the qualities of the existing but making the extension a much more transparent working environment with clear references to the existing in terms of window framing and the incorporation of the traditional red brickwork. At the same time it was crucial for the architects to make a strong linkage to the magnificent marshlands that surrounds the building. Both making them an integral part of the building interior and also respecting them on the exterior by pulling the facades back in a slight curve and reflecting the colours and forms in the minimalist framings of the facade.

I think my style is very much rooted in the imagery i grew up with from Skagen. A subtle range of colours, precise framing, simple motifs that are sharp and minimal but also cater a certain romance or personal impression. Very much a natural world of light and textures but through the looking-glass of someone who has spent his career discussing geometric coherence, conceptual simplicity and quality of light and material. I think this is something i cannot escape from, as you see it quite clearly in both my architectural and landscape photographs - two styles i also try to blend together as much as possible.
-Rasmus Hjortshøj

I've never had that many photographic inspirations in my work as I rely so much on my knowledge from sketching architectural projects like the ones I shoot. I kind of know already which angles the architects probably were rendering out from when they were designing it and I know the importance of drawing a really nice elevation of any project, so that aspects is very important in my work. But starting out my main sources of inspiration was from Bernd und Hilla Becher that I still look very much up to, Andreas Gursky was, and still is, an early inspiration after I saw an exhibition at the Louisiana Museum in Denmark and also british photographer Benedict Redgrove. Redgroves automobile work has some of the best framing of objects that I've seen. He is very talented I think.
-Rasmus Hjortshøj

Well I'm not at all where I want to be in my photo career yet, so taking my advise is not something I would recommend - yet :-) But I can say, however, that nothing just comes over-night - you need to really invest a lot of time and effort, but then you will also start seeing results from every project to the next. Also I am starting to see a value in opening up to my very early inspirations and instincts - I think you can never run away from those. Might as well embrace them.
-Rasmus Hjortshøj

For this project I used a Canon setup based on the Canon 5Dsr that I think gives an excellent image quality. It's super flexible and worthy of both a precise tripod setup and a more free documentary style. A really great tool that suits my tempo, amount of gear to use and style of shooting.
-Rasmus Hjortshøj

About Rasmus Hjortshøj

Rasmus Hjortshøj is an architect and photographer living in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was born and raised in a small fishing and tourist village of Skagen at the northern most part of Denmark. A place of great natural beauty with a strong cultural heritage, as this was once a gathering place for Scandinavian artist in the late 19th century - both are places he today call home. He took up photography rather later in his career. About 5 years ago. Until then he have mostly been drawing and emerging himself in the architecture practice and the set of skills you need there, to construct visions and concepts for what most often is future realities and yet-to-be-realised frames for our lives. He wanted to express himself in a manor that was more pure and true to the physical world, and found photography was a medium perfectly suited for him and the narrative he was seeking. See more of his works on Behance, Instagram or his page COAST.