Are we afraid of architectural change?

Why do radical buildings often stir up debate? A new podcast explores how BLOX in Copenhagen – the new home of Danish Architecture Center (DAC) – is transforming a significant harbor site. OMA architect Ellen van Loon and DAC CEO Kent Martinussen chat with host Frederikke Aagaard about the design of this new landmark and the conversation it is sparking in the city.

The new home of Danish Architecture Center, BLOX, is a dynamic and controversial building. BLOX is located along Copenhagen’s harbor and opens in May 2018. It has already been much debated due to its radical design by OMA, who designed it as multi-use building. A city within the city. This debate makes us ask: Are we afraid of architectural change? Or why do radical buildings often stir up debate?

The Architecture City is a new podcast, launched by Danish Architecture Center and created for a broad public audience, which explores these questions and this debate in its first episode.

Host Frederikke Aagaard, architect, TV host and author, encourages this conversation:

“In general, I think our vocabulary is too small when it comes to design and architecture. Often, we agree very quickly on “cool”, “great” or “ugly” as soon as we see it. But why is it beautiful, why does it work well? Or why is the material wrong? I hope the podcast format will help motivate a better debate”.

Through interviews with a wide range of voices, she explores why the design of radical buildings in historic cities often fuels debate about architectural change. Hear from Ellen van Loon, principal designer and architect at OMA; Kent Martinussen, CEO of Danish Architecture Center; Tina Saaby, Chief City Architect for Copenhagen; Jon Stephensen, journalist and architect and one of the building’s most vocal critics; and local residents.

BLOX will be the new home of Danish Architecture Center when it opens to the public on May 7. “But what does the architecture center of the 21st century look like? And how should it function? What should it add to the city?” as the CEO of DAC Kent Martinussen asks. And what if some of its citizens and critics aren’t convinced of the building’s design?

The Architecture City

Tune in on the discussion in The Architecture City and share the conversation with your readers.

Architecture impacts us. Take a look around you: Someone made a design decision about how almost every object, building and city looks, how it functions and how it feels. That’s why DAC considers it relevant to share knowledge about architecture’s design and function in a podcast format. This way thoughts about architecture can move beyond national borders and large distances.

Link to podcast

If you would like to continue the conversation, feel free to get in contact for an in-depth interview about the podcast: