How will we live in 2050?
What will Denmark look like in 2050? Will we live in vibrant cities, have we moved to new types of rural communities, or have we found ways to live closer to nature? See four architecture firms present their visions of future living.
Architecture as Part of the Problem
We are facing fundamental changes in the way we live. Climate, environmental, and biodiversity crises are forcing us to rethink almost everything we do. This is especially true for the construction industry, which is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to resource consumption and carbon emissions. Architecture plays a crucial role in creating a green and more sustainable future. But what does that future actually look like? And what will it take to design a new Denmark?
Four Danish architecture firms – Hahn Lavsen, Atelier for Byers Rum, Os Arkitekter and DETBLÅ – answer these questions in a series of short films. Together, the films make up the campaign How will we live in 2050? The four architecture firms were invited by The Expert Group for National Architecture Policy to visualize Denmark in 2050. The expert group, which is developing recommendation for a new national architecture policy for the Danish Minister for Culture, asked the firms to imagine what is possible if we are willing to think innovatively and act boldly.
Architecture as the Solution
The architecture firms’ future scenarios are part of an awareness campaign and serve as input to the debate on how a new national architecture policy can help shape Denmark’s future. The four films illustrate how we can live in different and more sustainable ways and invite the Danes to join the conversation about how architecture shapes our lives.
Watch the four films that push boundaries and challenge the way we live today.
The campaign was created by Danish Architecture Center in collaboration with The Expert Group for National Architecture Policy and translated into films by OLALA.
The four films are also available to watch in DAC Passage, which offers free entry.
Meet the Firms Behind
The future scenarios for How will we live in 2050? were created by four innovative architecture firms, each presenting their own approach to what architecture and landscapes will look like in the future. The firms all share a passion for contributing to creating a better, sustainable future.
The four firms were selected to participate in the project by The Expert Group for National Architecture Policy under the Danish Minister for Culture.
Hahn Lavsen
Based in North Jutland, architecture firm Hahn Lavsen was founded in 2019 by Caroline Hahn and Ebbe Lavsen. Both founders have extensive experience in transforming and restoring buildings. They combine their knowledge of traditional materials and building techniques in their work on both old and contemporary structures. Follow Hahn Lavsen’s work here.
Atelier for Byers Rum
Atelier for Byers Rum consists of the firm’s founder Knud Aarup Kappel and architect Lauge Floris Larsen. The firm specializes in comprehensive, urban, and development planning, always basing its work on each site’s unique characteristics and potential. Read more about Atelier for Byers Rum here.
Os Arkitekter
Os Arkitekter was founded by architects Stine Christiansen and Olmo Ahlmann. Os Arkitekter sees architecture and landscape as intrinsically linked. In their projects, they work across different scales, taking a holistic approach to city, building, and landscape. Read more about Os Arkitekter here.
DETBLÅ
DETBLÅ was founded in 2020 by Birthe Urup and Karin Munch. DETBLÅ develops architecture, landscapes, and cities. The architecture firm is founded on the belief that everything can and should be considered as part of a whole with respect for the site’s qualities – balancing cultural heritage and traditions with practical, logical solutions. Follow DETBLÅ’s work here.
About the National Architecture Policy
With their future scenarios, the four architecture firms have provided inspiration to The Expert Group for National Architecture Policy. The expert group was set up to develop a white paper with recommendations for a new national architecture policy. The wording matters when formulating Denmark’s new national architecture policy. The architecture policy sets the direction for the built environment across Denmark. Drawing on the national architecture policy, the government and municipalities can create actual legislation that, for example, may dictate façade design, set CO2 emission limits for construction, or determine whether it should remain acceptable to build 200-square-meter single-family homes. The policy can thus have a huge and direct impact on the way we all live.
Helle Søholt, CEO of Gehl Architects and spokesperson for the expert group, says:
“The four future scenarios are an important inspiration for our work in the expert group. They challenge us to radically rethink our urban environments and show how the architecture of the future can be a catalyst for sustainable change. This rethinking will be an important part of how we devise our recommendations for the new national architecture policy. We hope the films can contribute to an open, active, and inclusive dialog about the recommendations in municipalities across Denmark. “
Read more about the about the national architecture policy here.
About the Expert Group for National Architecture Policy
The Expert Group for National Architecture Policy was appointed by the Minister for Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt to draw up a number of recommendations for what a new national architecture policy should contain. The expert group consists of leading experts in Denmark within architecture and urban planning, including Pil Høyer Thielst, partner at Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects; Lene Dammand Lund, rector at the Royal Danish Academy; and Lars Autrup, CEO of the Danish Association of Architects.
Find out more at the Danish Ministry of Culture’s website.