Tiny Church, Copenhagen

When architect Julius Nielsen’s design was selected to bring a new “Tiny Church” to Copenhagen’s vibrant Nordhavn district, Blēo was invited to play a quiet but singular role: to bring colour into a space that resists ornament but thrives on material presence.

Tiny Church is a dodecagonal, light-filled timber chapel conceived for both worship and community gathering. Its twelve walls reference the apostles, and the interior is intentionally austere: warm wood, daylight through a central oculus, and formal restraint rather than iconography. Yet within that restraint, Julius Nielsen and his team sought moments of subtle, unexpected expression.

Inside, Nielsen chose Cecilie Bahnsen’s effect colour CE BA 11 Joerge Silver for the toilet and kitchen – a reflective, metallic tone rarely seen in a church context, turning functional spaces into deliberate architectural gestures. On the inner walls, IN FA 06 Corten by Industrial Facility introduces a deep, rust-toned brown that resonates with the neighbouring harbour sheds and steel structures.

In Tiny Church, colour is not applied decoration but a material presence – subtle interventions that deepen the atmosphere of a place defined by light, wood, and clarity.

Photo by Hampus Berndtson og Peter Dalsgaard