Copenhagen’s Danish Architecture Center has unveiled an immersive exhibition in collaboration with architecture firm Spacon & X, which highlights the value of third places
Photography by Rasmus Hjortshøj featuring Meet Me Here by Danish Architecture Center (DAC) and Spacon & X
Words by Jessica-Christin Hametner
Has physical presence become a luxury in the digital age? This is the question posed by Meet Me Here, a new exhibition at the Danish Architecture Center (DAC). Realised in collaboration with Copenhagen-based architecture firm Spacon & X, it opened during 3daysofdesign and runs until the 4th of January 2026.
‘This installation is about identity, honesty and presence,’ shares Pernille Stockmarr, senior curator at Danish Architecture Center, of what inspired the exhibition. ‘It’s about paying attention and being in the world, not only physically, but also being mentally present.’
Encouraging visitors to reconnect through shared physical presence, Meet Me Here is spread across five landings and explores what role architecture plays in fostering a sense of community. More specifically, it emphasises the value of chance encounters and third places – interstitial zones between home and work – in the digital age.
Photography by Rasmus Hjortshøj featuring Meet Me Here by Danish Architecture Center (DAC) and Spacon & X
‘Everyone’s swiping and scrolling through digital interfaces,’ reflects Stockmarr, highlighting the need for third places in a fast-paced world. ‘But what about being present? What about face-to-face connections and chance encounters? How can these simple spaces foster more socially inclusive cities?’
Stockmarr points out that much of life now happens online – whether for work, shopping or communication – often at the expense of in-person interaction. Even in shared places like train platforms or waiting areas, we tend to focus on the screen in our hands rather than the world or people around us.
‘Many people today feel loneliness and disconnection,’ adds Stockmarr. ‘Architecture and design can have an important voice and play a key role in fostering presence and connection, helping to reengage people.’
Photography by Rasmus Hjortshøj featuring Meet Me Here by Danish Architecture Center (DAC) and Spacon & X
Bridging the gap between the digital and physical, the exhibition reimagines digital actions into architectural or material concepts, such as swapping a “like” for a handwritten note, urging visitors to be fully present in the here and now.
‘We don’t believe in rejecting the digital,’ explains Malene Hvidt, founding partner of Spacon & X. ‘We looked at how we can translate some of our digital habits into physical gestures to remind us just how important our presence is. Community and wellbeing don’t happen on their own. They require presence, participation and spaces where the unexpected can enrich.’
This idea resonates with a 2024 survey of over 120,000 Danes by the philanthropic group Realdania, which found that relationships and community are key to quality of life; our physical surroundings are what allow these connections to thrive. For Hvidt, the physical can anchor us in a fast-paced world, encouraging presence and slowing down.
Photography courtesy of Spacon & X featuring the studio’s founding partners Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen (left), Malene Hvidt (right) and Svend Jacob Pedersen (centre)
‘What happens to our attention when we live most of our lives online?,’ asks Hvidt. ‘What does it feel like when you hear your voice and not just get a notification on your phone? Why don’t we remember to look up and see each other? That’s what we hope to discover here.’
Presented in DAC’s Stairway Gallery, Meet Me Here explores various types of presence. From close encounters with oneself to chance meetings with others, each landing unveils a fresh way of experiencing human connection within a space through sound, video and tactile experiences.
‘We have turned this transit space [in DAC’s Stairway Gallery] from A to B into an actual place that makes you feel present and reflect on your role within that space,’ says Hvidt. ‘But we also want to remind visitors that their presence matters and this exhibition doesn’t exist without them.’
Photography by Stefania Zanetti featuring the ADP (Adults Don’t Play) bench by Spacon & X and +Halle
To bring these ideas to life, Spacon & X created a series of displays for the show, which explore third places and their potential to spark spontaneous conversations between people or inspire creativity in new, meaningful ways.
Among the featured pieces is the ADP (Adults Don’t Play) bench, realised by Spacon & X in collaboration with Copenhagen-based firm +Halle. Inviting adults to playfully interact in public spaces, the bench challenges the notion that play is only for children and offers novel ways for adults to interact.
‘We are good at being social digitally,’ says Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen, founding partner of Spacon & X. ‘But in these in-between or third places, how do we activate that social energy in a new way, where it becomes something we choose, where it feels intentional, rewarding and full of possibility?’
Photography by Rasmus Hjortshøj featuring Meet Me Here at Danish Architecture Center (DAC), which is spread across five landings
At its core, Meet Me Here reminds us that we’re human and we need each other. As much of our lives are dominated by the digital, the show encourages us to be more present and intentional in our everyday interactions.
But the exhibition goes further by highlighting how architecture and design also shape the spaces where we meet. More importantly, it emphasises the need to create environments where people feel seen, safe and invited to be present with themselves and others.
‘In today’s digital possibilities, the physical encounters are something one actively has to choose,’ shares Hvidt. ‘At Spacon & X, we’re fascinated by how these physical spaces can not only support function, but encourage people to engage.’
Photography by Rasmus Hjortshøj featuring Meet Me Here by Danish Architecture Center (DAC) and Spacon & X
Meet Me Here prompts us to consider how architecture and design can help recreate closeness and social connection, particularly in third places. The exhibition invites discourse about our shared future and raises important questions such as: How do we create architecture and design that make it easier to meet? How can we strengthen connections with another when our days are punctuated by notifications?
‘I think it’s important to underscore that in recent decades, we’ve focused on creating beautiful and functional spaces,’ concludes Dyrup Carlsen. ‘But perhaps we have overlooked the importance of spontaneity and helping people feel a kind of belonging.’
‘For us, presence is really at the heart of design,’ adds Hvidt. ‘We believe spaces should be felt. Today’s architecture needs to create opportunities for participation and unexpected encounters, reminding us that being present together is an act of care.’
Meet Me Here opened on 18 June 2025 at the Danish Architecture Center. The installation will remain on view until 4 January 2026.
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