MIKKEL THORNING KRISTENSEN

Mikkel Thorning Kristensen is a Danish designer whose work lies at the intersection of architectural theory, design practice, and sustainability. He holds a BA in Architecture from The Royal Danish Academy School of Architecture’s Institute of Architecture, Urbanism, and Landscape in Copenhagen, where his studies instilled a deep sensitivity to context, culture, and the built environment.

Shaped by experiences in both Copenhagen and Chicago, Mikkel’s Kompas Fellowship project investigates the relationship between two seemingly opposing urban conditions: the verticality of Chicago and the horizontality of Copenhagen. His research questions how these urban forms reflect broader cultural values—monumentality and modesty, ambition and humanism—and what new possibilities might emerge when these forces are brought into dialogue. Rather than seeking resolution, Mikkel’s work invites reflection on how contrasting urban identities can coexist, provoke, and inspire.