How rebuilding war-torn areas can accelerate the sustainable transition

Ukraine has seen many of its cities and towns destroyed. One day they will hopefully be rebuilt - with great costs and a large climate footprint as a result. But what are the alternatives? Danish NGO, Arkitekter Uden Grænser (Architects Without Borders), is already working on a solution: With the pilot project Build-back-green a sustainable building system using biogenic materials - straw, clay, and timber – is introduced in the Ukrainian city of Voznesensk.  Can rebuilding in war-torn or disaster struck parts of the world show a way forward to a more sustainable form of construction? And how do you balance that with the urgent need to recover quickly and cheaply? In this episode, host Michael Booth meets the chairperson of Arkitekter Uden Grænser, Christoffer Breitenbauch, to hear more about the organization's work and its new project in Ukraine. Let’s Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center.   

Concrete and steel. We know that both of these mainstream building materials come with a massive CO2 cost, and that we need to find alternatives. One way forward is the reintroduction of traditional materials and invention of new bio-based materials. But the implementation of the new materials requires large and challenging changes for the entire building industry. What will it take to kickstart these massive changes? And what happens when starting at a more tangible level: With the building materials themselves?  In this episode, Michael Booth visits Denmark’s first bio-based construction marketplace, Havnens Hænder (“The Harbour Hands”), to understand the impact of introducing biomaterials. Two of Havnens Hænder’s three founders, Magnus Henriques and Mikkel Damgaard Nielsen, introduces Booth to innovative building materials such as hempcrete, cork, and mycelium, and together they dive into the greatest obstacles and potentials, when it comes to working for a greener building industry.  Let’s Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center, with sound edits by Munck Studios. 

In Herlev, a suburb of Copenhagen, the site of a former asphalt factory is being transformed into a new housing area. At first glance, this is a building site like many others, dominated by cranes, concrete and safety helmets. But in fact, a pilot project out of the ordinary is taking place here. Leaded by innovation agency NXT, the project invites artists to analyze the site that is being transformed. By interacting with the local biodiversity, diving into the landscape’s history, and arranging experimental workshops, the project uses art as a method of measuring some of the factors, we would normally find unmeasurable: The aesthetic, historical and sense-evoking traits of a place.   The project is part of Desire – an Irresistible Circular Society, a contribution to EU’s New European Bauhaus initiative, launched in 2020 to create sustainable, inclusive, and attractive solutions for city planning and construction. In line with the EU initiative, the project in Herlev aims to gain a different (and maybe even deeper) understanding of the site before it is developed – the idea being, that a green transition of the construction industry and its conventions requires unconventional new approaches.   But what kind of value can artists bring to the building site, normally characterized by hardcore calculations, strict timelines, and excel sheet-loving construction managers? And how do you take care of the existing qualities of a place while transforming it?  Take a listen to this episode of Let’s Talk Architecture, where host Michael Booth meets Madeleine Kate McGowan, artist, speculative designer, and artistic leader at NXT. Let’s Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center, with sound edits by Munch Studio.

Søren Pihlmann, founder of pihlmann architects, is among the hottest up-and-coming names in Danish architecture right now. Known for his ambitious approach to transformations, Søren Pihlmann insists on reusing as much of the existing buildings as possible - from plumbing to concrete beams - and adapting them for the new purpose of the building.  In this episode, host Michael Booth visits Søren Pihlmann at the building site of one of his most radical projects yet: Thoravej 29 in north-west Copenhagen. Here, a former office for a Danish fur company is being transformed into a diverse cultural center, with the use of the materials already at hand at the site. In the episode Søren Pihlmann explains the ideas behind his hardcore approach to the reuse of on-site materials, and reveals why, to him, this approach is about more than sustainability, but also holds potential for a new aesthetic.  Let’s Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center, with sound edits by Munch Studio.

Living Places is an experimental village in Copenhagen that challenges the way we build and live today. Initiated by VELUX and built in partnership with EFFEKT Architects and Artelia, the temporary village’s low emission homes suggest a whole new way of thinking about a series of urgent matters: From environmental footprint to indoor climate, biodiversity, affordability, and community building. As a case study for the Reduction Roadmap project, a plan to reduce the CO2 emission of new housing projects, Living Places eschews costly, high-tech solutions, focusing instead on what can be done right now, for a relatively low investment. But what will it take to change our mindsets when it comes to housing? In this episode of Let’s Talk Architecture, Michael Booth meets Sinus Lynge, co-founder and Creative Director of EFFEKT Architects. Together they visit Living Places and discuss the future of low-emission, high-quality housing. Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast produced by Danish Architecture Center, with sound edits by Munck Studio.

What is the price to be paid for being an uncompromising architect? And is the uncompromising approach to architecture a thing of the past? In 2023 the Sydney Opera House can celebrate its 50th anniversary. The building was designed by the then unknown Danish architect, Jørn Utzon, and it has become a milestone in modern architecture. But the Sydney Opera House also represents an often-seen story of the complexities and challenges of large and innovative building projects: A story of interdisciplinary collaborations, and the controversies and compromises, that led to Utzon leaving the project before it was finished. In this episode of Let’s Talk Architecture, Director of Exhibitions at Utzon Center, Line Nørskov Davenport, takes us through the myths, the facts, and the truly remarkable story behind the opera house’s difficult birth, and talks about what we can learn from the process. Host is Michael Booth. Let’s Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center, with sound edits by Munck Studio.

How do you address the issues related to disadvantaged public housing areas, often affected by high unemployment, crime, and other challenges? The question is common to many cities across Europe. In Denmark the government is combining social and architectural interventions in the most troubled areas: With the ‘parallel society law’, up to 60% of existing residents are evicted, and entire housing blocks are being renovated and improved. The aim is to convert troubled housing areas into attractive, safe, and diverse neighborhoods. But can the built environment affect the social issues of a place? And how do the changes affect the residents of the area? These are some of the questions Michael Booth raises in this episode of Let's Talk Architecture, as he joins Marie Stender, anthropologist, and senior researcher at Aalborg University, for a walk in Mjølnerparken, a social housing area in Copenhagen, that is affected by the new law to prevent parallel societies.  Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast produced by the Danish Architecture Center, with sound edits by Munck Studio.

One way the built environment can mitigate its massive negative climate impact is by focusing architecture on reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling elements. Essentially building within a circular economy framework. However, many central players in the building industry are reluctant to change their approach to materials usage. So, what is preventing us from building a circular society? In this live episode of Let’s Talk Architecture, Michael Booth sits down in a cross-cultural conversation with leading experts on the circular economy within construction, Anders Lendager (Lendager), and Maarten Gielen (Rotor), as they share their experiences, hopes, and concerns regarding architecture within a circular economy. Both guests express their pessimism as they envision the future of the circular economy in the construction industry. But there is also reasons to be optimistic. You can hear why on this episode. Let's talk architecture is a podcast by the Danish Architecture Center, with sound edits by Munck Studio. You can listen to previous episodes here.

Cities are attracting more and more people, but finding an affordable home can become a struggle – especially for students making the move. In Copenhagen the demand for student housing has led to new ways of building and living. The goal is to create space for more people by living smaller and sharing more. CPH Village is a leading actor in constructing – and experimenting with – temporary and affordable housing. But this is no easy task changing the housing industry – and the law. In this episode of Let’s talk architecture the cofounder of CPH Village, Frederik Noltenius Busk, takes Michael Booth on a tour of their fourth iteration of their student villages, Village Nørrebro, that promises small homes, lots of community and even a low carbon footprint. And lots of learnings too. Let's talk architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center with sound edits by Munck Studio. You can listen to previous episodes here.

What are the secrets behind producing great architects? This question becomes increasingly difficult to answer simply as the world becomes ever more complex and undergoes constant change. Therefore, creating a learning environment for students that empowers the next generation to tackle societal challenges was of utmost importance when Architecture School in Aarhus needed a new home. In this episode of Let’s Talk Architecture, the host, Michael Booth, visits the Architecture School in Aarhus to engage in a conversation with the principal, Torben Nielsen, about the school's raw and simple design crafted by ADEPT. They also delve into the necessity of redefining craftsmanship, the distinctions in architectural education, and students who aspire to change the world. Let's talk architecture is a podcast by the Danish Architecture Center, with sound edits by Munck Studio. You can listen to previous episodes here.