{"id":2942,"date":"2016-05-20T09:29:36","date_gmt":"2016-05-19T23:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/?p=2942"},"modified":"2016-05-20T09:36:59","modified_gmt":"2016-05-19T23:36:59","slug":"day-4-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/day-4-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 4: Lessons learnt in Copenhagen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day four marked the study tours final day in Copenhagen and rounded out our time through a series of practice visits. \u00a0Each practice visited differed in size, project type and process yielding interesting and diverse conversation.\u00a0\u00a0Five studios were visited, this blog summarises the day through adopting the format of the \u2018lessons learnt\u2019 at each practice. The first practice visited was the Bjarke Ingles Group.\u00a0\u00a0Unfortunately, the visit was cut short due to traffic and a late arrival.\u00a0\u00a0The practice shared a number of current projects and discussed the international profile of the office.<\/p>\n

Practice 2:\u00a0\u00a0Gehl Architects<\/strong><\/p>\n

The second practice visit was to Gehl Architects where the conversation was focussed around the\u00a0role of the architect in city making<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/em>The following lessons were learnt:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Architecture does not have to be expensive,\u00a0<\/strong>in fact it is better if it is inexpensive. Gehl supports the notion of building very simply through \u2018glueing\u2019 the architecture on the outside of the building.\u00a0\u00a0He discussed the opportunity for stairs, balconies and trellis\u2019 as elements that serve to enliven buildings and encourage activation<\/li>\n
  2. Architecture and advocacy.<\/strong>Architects do not have to build things.\u00a0\u00a0Gehl Architects adopt a role to influence a way of thinking about architecture and drive future change.\u00a0\u00a0The practice advocates the responsibility of architects to \u2018plant the seed of opportunity\u2019, which is significant in then empowering communities and encouraging people to take ownership of shaping their own place<\/li>\n
  3. Making a neighbourhood and fostering community.<\/strong>Gehl discussed the two most important elements of the built environment as being; the street – which accommodates movement, and the square – which establishes spaces that the eye can oversee.\u00a0\u00a0Together these elements are seen to enliven the urban realm and contribute to lively people places<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"OLYMPUS<\/p>\n

    Practice 3: Tegnestuen Vandkunsten<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The third practice visited was Tegnestuen Vandkunsten who adopted similar principles to those valued by Jan Gehl on a built scale.\u00a0\u00a0The practice aligned with having an\u00a0urban responsibility beyond the role of the architecture\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>and aim to produce work that \u2018gives back to the city\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0This was evident in their work whereby the following lessons were learnt:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Adopting a strong social stance.<\/strong>The practice commits to accepting a variety of work in the office; from social housing to very high end residential.\u00a0\u00a0This is strategic in affording the opportunity to accept pro bono work and drive important research in new affordable housing typologies<\/li>\n
    2. Learning from mistakes.<\/strong>Tegnestuen Vandkunsten reflected on moments in built work that in reality did not reflect the original design intent. This was described through a project that was unsuccessful in delivering the urban and public space expectations.\u00a0\u00a0Tegnestuen Vandkunsten discussed frustrations around having the best intentions, but not the foresight to understand how people will use the buildings<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \"IMG_0508\"<\/p>\n

      Practice 4: 3XN<\/strong><\/p>\n

      The fourth practice visited was 3XN who were strong advocates of the\u00a0role of research and education in architectural practice<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0The following key lessons were learned:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Adopting a research position.<\/strong>It is important to adopt a research agenda that guides the practice.\u00a0\u00a0GXN is an internal research unit that has a significant role in the practice, driving innovation in design work and establishing a competitive edge.\u00a0\u00a0The unit encourages material testing, software development and sustainable technologies in project work<\/li>\n
      2. Integration of design research.<\/strong>Despite the presence of GXN the practice discussed frustrations around the design process with research as being first to be \u2018value managed\u2019 out of a project.\u00a0\u00a0It is critical to challenge, in a commercial context, the importance of research and innovation to ensure this new thinking is better integrated in the design process<\/li>\n
      3. Critical reflection on built work.<\/strong>3XN identified post occupancy evaluation and the practice of measuring the success of built work as being critical in ensuring the ongoing growth and development of the practice<\/li>\n
      4. The role of the Institute.<\/strong>Denmark\u2019s Union for architects is a precedent for fair work and salary to modelled off.\u00a0Equitable pay is enforced and valued through the union which protects and dissolves gender pay gaps<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \"OLYMPUS<\/p>\n

        The final practice visit was to Lundgaard and Tranberg where a conversation around\u00a0process<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0and office culture<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>ensued.\u00a0\u00a0The following key lessons were learned through the conversations:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Encouraging universal input fosters better design.<\/strong>It is important that everyone in the office feels they have the opportunity and confidence to contribute to the project outcome and have a voice in the office.\u00a0\u00a0Ultimately this approach fosters more rigorous design outcomes<\/li>\n
        2. Competition work driving innovation.<\/strong>In Denmark 85% of work in the office is competition work (compared to approximately 20% in Australia).\u00a0\u00a0Lundgaard and Tranberg adopt a healthy stance towards competitions with a view that they are critical in encouraging innovation and creative thinking, pushing the design response beyond the norm<\/li>\n
        3. Potency of the design diagram and intent.<\/strong>Lene Tranberg discussed the important role of storytelling in the design process.\u00a0\u00a0She identified it as critical in ensuring the entire team; client, consultants, builders and staff, are brought on the journey to ensure the delivery of a fulfilling outcome<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          \"OLYMPUS<\/p>\n

          It was a privilege to have been given the opportunity to visit and engage in direct dialogue with such a diverse number of Danish practices.\u00a0\u00a0The most significant personal learning from the day can be best summarised though a statement by Jan Gehl who posed the question;\u00a0\u2018What does it take to be a good architect? If you want to be a good architect you must love people.\u00a0\u00a0Architecture is not about physical things, it is about constructing a framework for life\u2026\u2019\u00a0<\/em>Indeed, this sentiment was evident across the work of the five practices visited and realised in a diverse number of in a number of different ways.<\/p>\n

          \"OLYMPUS<\/p>\n

          Hannah Slater<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Day four marked the study tours final day in Copenhagen and rounded out our time through a series of practice visits. \u00a0Each practice visited differed in size, project type and process yielding interesting and diverse conversation.\u00a0\u00a0Five studios were visited, this blog summarises the day through adopting the format of the \u2018lessons learnt\u2019 at each practice. … Continue reading Day 4: Lessons learnt in Copenhagen<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2942"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2953,"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2942\/revisions\/2953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.architecture.com.au\/duluxstudytourblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}