Amanda Søes Studio: Where architecture, light and human experience meet

By Heidi Kokborg | Photos: Trine Ravnborg

From tailored interiors for large companies and private homes to light installations at Copenhagen Light Festival, Amanda Søes Studio moves seamlessly between scales. At the heart of every project lies the human experience – articulated through light, materials and atmosphere.

Founded by Danish designer Amanda Søes, the studio works in the space where architecture, design, and atmosphere meet. With a background in both interior architecture and lighting design, Søes brings a holistic perspective. “For me, the room, the light, and the people are inseparable. It’s about creating spaces that not only look good but feel good to be in. It always starts with the people who will use the space. I want to understand how they live, work, and feel, and then shape an environment that reflects that,” tells Søes.

Shaping the atmosphere with light

Søes is especially attuned to the role of light in shaping the atmosphere. Rather than selecting lamps for their looks alone, she considers how layers of light influence comfort, mood, and perception. “Light affects us more than we think. The colour, the direction, and the rhythm of light can make a room feel safe, energising, or calming,” she explains. Her approach combines interior architecture with architectural lighting design, ensuring that light is not just an accessory, but a central element in the experience of a space. One of her projects for Montana Furniture illustrates this sensitivity. In their showroom, she designed lighting that enhances the richness of colours, materials, and textures, creating a space where every surface feels alive.

Amanda Søes Studio: Where architecture, light and human experience meet

For one of her large corporate clients Novo Nordisk, her task was to ensure that the architectural expression across both indoor and outdoor environments is consistent, from facades and acoustics to lighting solutions that support both function and well-being. This project demands both technical precision and aesthetic judgment, as every choice affects how employees interact with their environment. “You want the experience of moving through the building to feel natural and comfortable, whether you’re outside on the grounds or inside in a meeting room.”

Amanda Søes Studio also works on projects for pension companies such as Danica Ejendomme, where she crafts personalised design solutions. In private homes, the challenge is more intimate: ensuring that rooms feel personal and lived-in, yet still thoughtful in their design. “Light and materials can help create that atmosphere of retreat,” Søes says.

Public work has also entered the portfolio. Louis Poulsen hired her for Copenhagen Light Festival, which was an exhibition open to the public at Louis Poulsen. The installations Søes created for the project invited people to experience light in playful, sensory ways, highlighting how design can touch emotions as well as function.

Amanda Søes Studio: Where architecture, light and human experience meet

Designing for people and places

Whether working for a corporate or private client, Søes begins with the same process: listening. She studies how people inhabit their spaces, how they use the space, and how they want to feel. From this analysis, she shapes environments where materials, furniture, and light coexist in harmony. This attention to detail often leads to bespoke design solutions.

Several of her furniture pieces have emerged directly from her projects. One round table was designed specifically to encourage dialogue, its proportions and materials carefully chosen to feel both robust and inviting. Over time, that single piece evolved into a full collection, now available through her website. The tables are designed with longevity in mind and are objects to be inherited through generations.

Her material choices also tell stories. She frequently reuses or adapts existing materials, transforming them into new design elements. A wall lamp crafted from recycled stone and glass materials to beautifully match the flooring for a project, carrying forward both the tactile qualities of the original material and a sense of narrative continuity. “For me, design is never just about appearances. It’s a deepening of the relationship between heart, function, tactility and aesthetics, embedding meaning and connection into the everyday,” Søes says.

Photo: Amanda Søes Studio

A design philosophy of care

What unites these diverse projects is an ethos of care: for materials, for craft, and for people’s everyday experiences. To Søes, good design is not about following fleeting trends but about creating pieces and spaces that remain relevant over time. “I want to create pieces and spaces that last, that people feel connected to, and that can be part of their lives for many years,” she says.

At its core, Amanda Søes Studio is about more than solving spatial challenges. It is about creating atmospheres that enrich daily life, whether in a commercial construction, a private home, or a public installation. By bringing light, material, and human needs into balance, Søes crafts environments that feel both thoughtful and timeless. “Design is not just about how something looks. It’s about how it feels to be in it, and how it can improve your quality of life.”

Amanda Søes Studio: Where architecture, light and human experience meet