Archinect - Features

Atlas of the Copenhagens: Book review

2019-06-19T10:18:00-04:00

The past two decades have seen a marked increase in city ranking indexes and urban metrics, yet across the board American cities continue to score poorly—last year no US cities made the top 25 in lifestyle magazine Monocle's Quality of Life Survey. On the opposite end of the spectrum lies Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark, presented time and again as one of the world’s most ‘liveable’ cities and celebrated as a global model of sustainable urban development. In the run-up to this year’s rankings, we look closer at Atlas of the Copenhagens, a thoughtful and engaging book edited by Deane Simpson, Kathrin Gimmel, Anders Lonka, Marc Jay, and Joost Grootens, to explore the multiplicity and complexities of Copenhagen today and how the city can begin to inspire new ways of analysing and interpreting the urban environments around us.

Studio Visits: Schmidt Hammer Lassen

2017-10-30T09:01:00-04:00

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects was founded over 30 years ago in Aarhus, Denmark by Morten Schmidt, Bjarne Hammer and John F. Lassen. Known for their work within the cultural sector, especially libraries, the firm believes they "make buildings that meet the challenges of our modern society and that make people come together in new ways". Recently it was announced that they will be working with renowned artist James Turrell on a new extension project for ARoS Aarhus Art Museum in Copenhagen a project they previously collaborated on with multi-disciplinary artist Olafur Eliasson.

We spoke to one of the Senior Partners Kristian Lars Ahlmark to find out more about working as part of the Copenhagen team.

Sustainable slate tiles dress this Danish family’s energy-efficient “Future House”

2016-12-19T15:24:00-05:00

In Scandinavian design, it’s the little things that count. When this Danish family wanted to design and build their own home, they wanted all the little things to add up to a balance of energy efficiency with light and atmosphere, cost with comfort, aesthetics with sustainability. All that would combine to create something that lasted, both functionally and aesthetically. The resulting “Future House” by Danish firm Novaform Arkitekterne gets the job done elegantly, harnessing a modest structure to diverse ends.

Playtime! 7 bold and whimsical playgrounds from around the world

2016-08-12T12:44:00-04:00

The act of play rests heavily on the ability to indulge in the imagination. While a certain degree of functionality is required for elements like swings, slides, and climbing walls, the key to any great playground design is that it be inspiring: and oddly enough, it doesn’t always have to be strictly for children. Game-playing takes multiple forms, from the stream of consciousness rules of a child's adventure to the psychologically penetrating/illuminating construct of an artist. These examples of architectural spaces for play from around the world openly embrace the esoteric and playful.

The far-reaching work by "state-of-the-art weirdos" MOS Architects

2016-03-11T14:12:00-05:00

MOS has developed an impressive cache of work over a relatively brief period of time, including a range of designs unequivocal to the company’s unique, and at times quirky, style. Their approach considers economic climates and environmental limitations, but evades conventional aesthetics. Take it from the firm’s website; MOS rejects the ordinary. A succinct self-description concludes that their company is “a collective of designers, architects, thinkers and state-of-the-art weirdos.”

With the recent release of MOS: Selected Works, it seems fitting to reflect on a selection of projects that highlight the company’s discernible attitude toward conceptual design and architecture.

Children's drawings inspire COBE's kindergarten in Copenhagen

2016-02-18T08:53:00-05:00

Needless to say, children require very little to have a lot of fun. An imaginary world can be transformed from the most modest of settings. Really, all that’s needed is a bit of space (albeit safe and relatively clean), and a great imagination –something that little ones have an endless supply of.

So when it comes time for kids to embark on the short-lived, yet impactful journey that is kindergarten, the most nurturing of environments are those that foster diversity, social connectivity, and creativity. The Danish architecture firm COBE has used that ethos to cultivate an amazing setting for children attending preschool in the Copenhagen neighborhood of Frederiksberg. The educational institution encompasses a unique campus, a blank canvas of sorts for young minds to re-imagine a world of their own.

Designing for horses with history: the new stables of Dyrehaven park by Bertelsen & Scheving

2016-01-20T05:00:00-05:00

Just to the north of Copenhagen, the Dyrehaven – “deer park” – shelters exactly what its name suggests: sizeable populations of red and fallow deer who roam freely across its 4.2 square miles of ancient oaks. Alongside its namesake animal population, the park is also home to the horses that transport human visitors along its picturesque pathways. Those equine inhabitants are housed within stables that recently underwent an extensive, site-sensitive and rather handsome renovation by the firm Bertelsen & Scheving.

Rem's Venice Biennale is "like being immersed in a stormy S,M,L,XL, with a glass of wine, and hundreds of other people"

2014-06-16T10:46:00-04:00

Is Modernism “history”? How do Modern concepts, especially regarding representation, nature, technology and housing, relate to the current state of architecture? These were some overarching questions embedded in the 14th Venice Biennale of Architecture, curated by Rem Koolhaas. The show opened June 7th under the “Fundamentals” theme, and it is worth visiting for the important questions it raises about the current state of architecture and building.

SmartGeometry 2011, Copenhagen Denmark

2011-04-07T14:50:52-04:00

SmartGeometry was established in 2001 as an international group of academics and professional architects, engineers, computer scientists and designers interested in the potentials of parametric design and computational tools. Each year, a four-day workshop precedes a conference day with invited speakers, and each year explores a different theme.