Danish Design Lecture Series

Mar 08, 2021

We are excited to share with you Danish Design, an eight-part online lecture series co-presented with our long-standing partners at the College of Built Environments (CBE) at the University of Washington. This fascinating series features some of the most innovative Danish architects, landscape architects, and furniture designers practicing in Denmark today.

Since 2008, we have partnered with CBE to provide exceptional cultural exchange opportunities and innovative studio experiences for students. Over 500 students have participated in these studios and traveled to Denmark since Professor Nancy Rottle took the first group of 28 over a dozen years ago.

During 2020, with students unable to travel to Denmark, the UW faculty quickly pivoted and contacted the leaders of leading Danish design firms to develop and present live lectures to bring Denmark to the students.

Here is some background on our three funded studio + travel programs at the University of Washington.

Scan Design Foundation Master Urban Design and Landscape Studio + Travel taught by Professor Nancy Rottle, combines international study experience with multi-disciplinary collaboration on local projects to develop planning and design solutions for our local public realm. Before the Autumn term studio, students travel to Copenhagen, Denmark to visit the office of the renowned Copenhagen firm Gehl Architects and see the city through its people-centered urban design lens.

For two weeks, students are immersed in the design and planning strategies that make this one of the leading cities in bicycle and pedestrian planning and one of the “most livable” in the world, through site tours, office visits, lectures and drawing exercises. Traveling primarily by bicycle, students hear from practitioners from leading firms that focus on planning and design for public space, bicycle urbanism, neighborhood lifting, and climate adaptation.

Upon returning to Seattle, students focus on applying the lessons learned to design proposals for a local site or district and continue to benefit from the involvement of a Danish Master Teacher acting as visiting instructor and critic. Past Master Teachers include members of Gehl Architects, Bianca Hermansen of Cititek and Louise Grassov of Schulze + Grassov. Past project partners include the City of Seattle, the International Sustainability Institute, the International Living Futures Institute, Seattle 2030 District, Seattle Office of the Waterfront, and Capitol Hill EcoDistrict.

Scan Design Foundation Master Architecture Studio + Travel taught by Professor Peter Cohan provides graduate architecture students with the opportunity to work with the best architects practicing in Denmark today. Each year the UW Department of Architecture selects a Danish architect to serve as the SDF Distinguished Visiting Professor. One of the primary responsibilities of the Visiting Professor is to teach an advanced graduate architecture studio.

The studio begins with a two-week trip to Copenhagen in early September. The trip includes visits to buildings and sites of architectural merit in and around Copenhagen, museum visits, tours of architecture offices and design workshops led by the Visiting Professor. During autumn quarter the Visiting Professor then makes two visits to Seattle to lead intensive design charrettes in the studio.

Previous SDF professors have included Dorte Mandrup of Dorte Mandrup A/S, Dan Stubbergaard of COBE Architects and Sinus Lynge and Tue Foged of EFFEKT Architects. These visiting professors have had a tremendous impact on the students. It has exposed them to the invaluable teaching insights of talented Danish designers and has increased their awareness of the breadth and depth of environmental design in Denmark.

Scan Design Foundation Master Furniture Studio + Travel taught by Professor Kimo Griggs provides graduate and undergraduate students with the opportunity to work with the best furniture designers practicing and teaching in Denmark today. Each year the UW Department of Architecture selects a Danish Furniture Designer as the SDF Distinguished Visiting Professor to co-teach a furniture design studio.

The studio begins with a two-week trip to Copenhagen. The trip includes visits to Danish designers, furniture manufacturers, factories, museums, and galleries. This experience has provided an invaluable educational experience for students far beyond anything prior furniture studio students have enjoyed. Immersion in the world-renowned Danish design and furniture manufacturing culture has provided a focused and unique way for students to understand and appreciate Danish culture.

Previous SDF professors have included Erling Christoffersen, Tina Christensen, and Chrisitina Strand. Future professors may include Nicolai de Gier at the Royal Academy and Lars Vejen of Design Studio Lars Vejen.

Part one of the Danish Design Lecture Series is live now! Don’t miss:

• Destination Development; by Marco Berenthz at Norrøn

• Designing our way out of a sticky situation. A new design ethos for the climate-responsive city; by Flemming Rafn at Tredje Natur.

• Putting Research to Practice | Building a Circular Future; by Kasper Guldager Jensen at GXN/3XN

On March 17th we will add part two-of-three of the Danish Design lecture series, followed by the last two lectures which will be available by March 31st. All of the content will be online until at least June 30th. So dive in and enjoy this series!