Let's Talk Architecture

When Børsen caught fire on 16 April 2024, Denmark lost one of its most iconic landmarks. In this episode, we visit the historic building during its reconstruction and speak with Mette Tony, co-founder of Praksis Architects, about the challenges of rebuilding an important piece of Danish cultural heritage. How do you restore a building with 400 years of history, and which version of Børsen should rise from the ashes?

Visit most of the major architecture firms in Copenhagen and you might be forgiven for thinking the industry is more diverse than most, but as we learn in this episode, things aren't always what they seem.  
Christine Bjerke is an architect and the co-founder of Building Diversity, a volunteer-run organisation which focuses on inclusivity and aims to enhance diversity within the built environment.  We've touched on this a few times over the years in episodes of Let's Talk Architecture, looking at how to include a wider range of people in the consultancy process, how to open up the industry to a broader spectrum of people, or how to make buildings and spaces more accessible, both physically and just more approachable. But Building Diversity is tackling all of this head on. 
Join us as we visit one of Copenhagen's most prominent public spaces to see it through Christine's eye
 
Guest:  

Christine Bjerke, Founder, Architect and Co-founder of Building Diversity


Host:  

Michael Booth 


Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.

The Hedeskov Living Lab in Djursland, on the Jutland Peninsula, points towards a potential paradigm shift in sustainable architecture.  In this episode, we meet architect Justine Bell from Djernes & Bell, who tells the story of transforming a former school into a centre for education, research and experimentation with regenerative building practices. The project has been created using locally sourced raw and reclaimed materials, including clay, sand, bulrushes and horse manure. 

This approach is described by some as bioregional architecture. Much like the farm-to-table movement, it is rooted in local resources, materials, skills and craft traditions. The ambition is not only to reduce the environmental impact of construction, but also to create architecture that tells a powerful story about its place and the landscape from which it emerges. At the same time, the project points towards a more regenerative approach to building, where architecture not only minimises its footprint, but actively contributes to nature, biodiversity and local communities.  And it certainly does not hurt that Hedeskov Living Lab is also an extraordinarily beautiful place. 
Guest:  

Justine Bell, Founder, Djernes & Bell  


Host:  

Michael Booth 


Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.

You find Dinesen wood floors in museums, flagship stores, restaurants, galleries and historic buildings around the world. But what is it about these extraordinary timber planks that architects love so much?   

In this episode, host Michael Booth visits the 128-year-old family company in southern Jutland to explore how Dinesen has become one of architecture's most trusted material partners. Together with creative director Hans Peter Dinesen, the conversation dives into craftsmanship, quality, the relationship between architects and materials, and why some of the world's leading designers keep returning to Dinesen floors. 

The episode also visits Orbi, an experimental summer gathering where architecture students, artists and makers come together in the Danish countryside to work with wood, share ideas and rethink the connection between craft, architecture and landscape. 

Guest:  

Hans Peter Dinesen, Creative Director, Dinesen 


Host:  

Michael Booth 


Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.

What happens when a national art museum moves beyond the capital, and into a small coastal village? 

In this episode, host Michael Booth meets architect Reiulf Ramstad to explore SMK Thy, a new branch of the Danish National Gallery set by the Limfjord. Reusing materials, preserving existing structures and working closely with the landscape, the project becomes more than a museum, it's a meeting place for art, nature and community. 

From a jar of local honey that sparked the competition idea to the ambition of reusing everything on site, the conversation reveals an architecture rooted in place, and a new way of thinking about centre and periphery. 

Guest:  

Reiulf Ramstad, Founding Partner, Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter 


Host:  

Michael Booth, DAC 


Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.