Gry is the Master of the Master Mason’s Villa: »We Should Build More Like We Used To«

She sits on a pallet and pulls a roll out of a paper bag from the local bakery. Beside her, a thermos leans against the cold bricks in the trailer bed.

»A lot of masons don’t take breaks, but where I trained, my mentor taught me that breaks are important,« she says, taking a quick bite.

It’s the classic: chocolate spread and butter, chased with lukewarm coffee. She chews, then continues.

»People think masonry is just stacking bricks. Mortar, brick, mortar, brick. But we do way more – foundations, insulation, base courses, floors, tiling, backup walls, rendering, plastering – the full spectrum. It’s a lot more than most people think,« Gry says.

Her day started at 5:00 AM with her colleague – her dad, Kaj. Gry wears white Kansas work shorts and a black fleece with “Astrup Hansen” printed on the back. It’s not just a name; it’s a legacy. She’s the fourth generation in the family masonry business, founded by her great-grandfather in 1949.

Even though bricks and mortar run in her blood, it was never a given that Gry would take over the company. In fact, her dad insisted it had to be her own decision.

On the scaffold, the father-daughter duo move like a choreographed team. Kaj keeps fresh mortar in the black bucket while Gry focuses intently on the brickwork. She follows the string line, placing each brick level and snug in the moist mortar. Excess mortar is swept off in a smooth motion and flicked neatly back into the bucket.

»10,000 repetitions – that’s when you know your craft,« Gry says without looking up.

Skill, Speed, and Grit: How Gry Found Her Path

»When we were kids, our dinner conversations were always about construction, craftsmanship, and materials. We’d visit the job site with coffee and cake, hang out in the site trailer while work went on. I helped my dad with small tasks, but I was never pressured into it,« Gry recalls.

Even so, it was like her hands had made the choice before her head did. In 9th grade, she interned with a local mason.

»It poured rain all week. I borrowed some huge overalls from my dad and packed a lunchbox. I stood in the rain, shivering, but I could feel it – I liked it. I wasn’t tired of school; I was actually pretty good at it, especially math. But here I got to use my hands, work on a scaffold, blast music, and be outdoors. I just thought: This… this is awesome,« Gry says.

After just one week, her mentor had seen enough. He offered her an apprenticeship on the spot – and it paid off.

Since then, Gry has won the national Danish Skills Championship multiple times. She even placed sixth at the World Championship.

»It takes hard work. It’s not something you just do. You really have to want it – even on those long, cold days. But it’s so rewarding to come home, sit on the couch, and feel that your body has been used in the right way,« Gry says.

A Champion for the Master Mason’s Villa

It doesn’t take long on the scaffold with Gry to see her deep love for the craft.

Especially when it comes to the master mason’s villa – those iconic red brick homes with arched lintels and tile roofs, which she sees as the pinnacle of Danish building tradition: a symbol of quality craftsmanship and enduring beauty.

»I really think we should build more like we used to. A real master mason’s villa gives you a chance to show your skills. It’s not just straight walls. It’s about soldier courses, Flemish bonds, window arches, and cornices. It’s the old details that make a wall come alive – and not everyone can do that,« Gry explains.

She grabs a jointing board and smooths it over the damp brickwork, removing every stray speck of mortar. Then she steps back like a painter surveying a canvas.

»What I love most is being able to see how far I’ve come. It’s not like sitting behind a computer, where you lose track of progress. Here I know: I’ve laid ten bricks – only 590 to go. I don’t count them, but it’s satisfying to see it take shape,« Gry says.

She’s not alone in her love for the classic style. A 2017 survey from Realdania and YouGov showed that the master mason’s villa is Denmark’s favorite type of home – 31% said it’s the house they’d most like to live in.

The affection for traditional details is strong, but many of the old techniques and styles are now rare in new builds – they take more time and cost more, Gry emphasizes.

»It’s a real shame. I recently helped build two brand-new villas with cornices, piers, and mullioned windows. For me, it’s about love for quality materials. A brick can basically last forever,« she says.

A Brick Isn’t Just a Brick

Each time Gry picks up a brick, it scrapes against the others on the pallet with a gritty sound – like rough sandpaper on concrete. They’re stacked in alternating layers, as if arranged in a game of Tetris.

To Gry, bricks aren’t just building blocks. They’re the essence of her craft. They feel different, absorb water differently, and sound different when tapped. Their appearance changes in sun or rain.

»There’s a difference in how much they absorb, how straight they are. Whether they’re hand-molded, soft-molded, or machine-made,« she says, turning one in her hand.

The facade isn’t just the outer layer of a house – it’s the first impression.

»When I choose a red brick with yellow mortar, it’s intentional. It’s about the combination – the color play. That’s what makes my work look beautiful,« Gry says.

And among all the options, Gry has a clear favorite – and it’s not anthracite gray.

»My absolute favorite is the Petersen Tegl D34. It’s a red brick – or actually a mix of two types. One is bright red, the other leans more brown or black. When you mix them, you get this beautiful, vibrant texture,« she explains.

»And with yellow mortar – it gives that old-school look. It just works with everything: a saddle roof, white cornices, and arched brick lintels. Those are details that take a lot of time, but they give a wall soul,« Gry continues.

Even her private home reflects her love of bricks. Gry and her husband Simon live in the small town of Spjald, outside Ringkøbing. The house features a green brick façade, and inside, the brickwork continues: a soft-molded yellow brick wall in the kitchen-living room, and a solid interior partition wall – also made of bricks, of course.

A Different Kind of Youth

Gry grew up fast – not because she had to, but because she chose to. At 16, she put on her work clothes and headed to her apprenticeship while most of her peers were still under the covers. Today, she runs the family business as a self-employed master mason.

»It can feel a bit lonely choosing the trades. Everyone I went to school with went to high school or business school. They had those parties, Friday bars, and a whole different kind of community. I don’t get that same youth experience,« Gry says.

There are no dorm parties on a scaffold, no school galas – but there is community and purpose every single day.

»As a craftsman, you grow up fast. You show up on time, take responsibility, and become independent – both professionally and personally. That’s good and bad,« Gry says.

Still, there’s a Friday feeling when the weekend draws near. Gry turns off P4 and cranks up some après-ski tunes as the day winds down with laughs and good vibes.

Gry plans to keep building until the day she can no longer see her own mistakes.

»No one ever creates a flawless wall. There’s always something – a tiny detail you could nitpick. Because it’s made by hand. I think the day I can’t find my own flaws anymore – that’s the day I’ll stop. Because then it’s not about doing a perfect job – it means the passion is gone,« she says.