The Language System Architect

I build structures that make voices scale.

I am Henrik J Klijn, a language architect based in Chicago.

For over a decade, I have been solving the same problem in different contexts: how do you maintain consistent, high-quality communication when you cannot control every word? The answer is never more oversight. It is better architecture.

Background

I started as a copywriter in Cape Town, South Africa, writing campaigns for fashion and lifestyle brands. That work taught me craft. But it also taught me that good writing does not scale through talent alone.

At BrandTrust, I shifted from writing to research. I conducted Emotional Inquiry studies to understand how people actually process communication. That behavioral foundation changed how I think about voice. Language is not just expression. It is intervention.

At Reflex Media, I built language architecture for platforms reaching 56 million users globally. I led the Seeking.com relaunch across 12 markets and designed the editorial structure for FirstDate.com.

At Leading Across Culture, I created the voice infrastructure for a consultancy serving Fortune 500 clients across 30 countries.

I am currently completing an accelerated ALB/ALM in Journalism and Government at Harvard Extension School, with a 3.97 GPA.

Philosophy

Consistency at scale does not come from vigilance. It comes from designing structures where consistency is easier than inconsistency.

AI changes the speed of content creation but not the fundamental problem. Without structure, AI amplifies drift. With structure, AI amplifies clarity.

The best architecture disappears. When it works, people stop thinking about consistency and start thinking about ideas.

Foundations

My approach is grounded in behavioral research.

Before I was a language architect, I conducted Emotional Inquiry studies to understand how people process communication under cognitive load.

Language architecture is not just linguistic structure. It is behavioral intervention.

The goal is not just consistency. It is clarity that meets people where they are.

Let's Talk

If you are building something that needs to speak with one voice across many contexts, I can help.

I work with organizations that have outgrown their guidelines, that are scaling across markets or teams, or that are integrating AI into their content operations and want to do it right.