Kulturudvalget 2016-17
KUU Alm.del Bilag 194
Offentligt
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Copenhagen and Aarhus
6 – 7 June 2017
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH ARCHITECTURE,
NATURE AND ART
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Preface
This year, we celebrate the 150th anniversary
of diplomatic relations between Denmark and
Japan. The Danish Arts Foundation marks this
anniversary by highlighting one of the key chal-
lenges faced by both Denmark and Japan: the
growing differences between cities and rural
districts as a result of globalization and urban-
ization. There is an urgent need for innovation
and for pursuing a balanced development,
where rural and urban districts contribute with
their respective energies and qualities.
Art and architecture can help create new ex-
periences and build networks that strengthen
local communities and generate growth out-
side the big cities. In both Denmark and Japan,
many artists and architects work in close
concert with individual citizens, associations,
companies and municipalities to effect positive
change in rural, marginalized areas. That is an
effort that the Danish Arts Foundation wants
to promote. Therefore, we mark the 150th an-
niversary of diplomatic ties between Denmark
and Japan by initiating a new dialogue between
our two countries about how art and architec-
ture can help turn the tide in regions suffering
under depopulation and the loss of industry
and jobs.
The present report covers two symposiums
held, respectively, in Copenhagen and Aarhus
on 6 and 7 June 2017 under the heading
‘Regional development through architecture,
nature and art’. The events featured outstand-
ing Japanese and Danish examples of artists
and architects working closely with local actors
and generating new dynamics, growth and
communities. The specific cases served as a
basis for round-table talks and a panel debate
on the topic of future priorities and efforts
aimed at strengthening regional development
in Denmark. With this report, which is published
in Danish, English and Japanese editions, we
share the many good examples and ideas from
the symposiums. We hope that this will inspire
new ways of bringing architecture and the arts
into play in the effort to promote quality of
life, strong communities, growth and develop-
ment in rural areas. We also hope that the two
symposiums have helped lay the foundation
for more and broader collaborations involving
artists, architects, private citizens, companies,
associations and municipalities working
together to make a difference.
Our sincere thanks to the Japanese and
Danish contributors and to everyone who par-
ticipated in the two symposiums for investing
your time in this crucial social debate.
Kim Herforth Nielsen
Chairman, Danish Arts Foundation’s Committee
for Architecture Grants and Project Funding
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Programme
COPENHAGEN
KADK, 6 June 2017
Welcome Address
Lene Dammand Lund, rector of KADK
AARHUS
School of Architecture, 7 June 2017
Welcome Address
Torben Nielsen, rector of Aarhus School of Architecture
Welcome Address, Danish Arts Foundation
Kim Herforth Nielsen, chairman of the Danish Arts Foundation’s Committee for
Architecture Grants and Project Funding
Benesse Art Site Naoshima, Regional Revitalization through Contemporary Art
Soichiro Fukutake, president, Benesse Art Site Naoshima
Islands and Works: Thoughts on 25 years of Creating Works on the Islands of the Seto Inland Sea
Shinro Ohtake, artist
The Naoshima Plan
Hiroshi Sambuichi, architect, honorary professor at KADK
Architecture and Environment
Kazuyo Sejima, architect and co-founder of SANAA
A Deliberate Strategy? From Arbitrary to Coherent
Christen Obel, chairman of The Obel Family Foundation
The Value of Architcture
Bjarke Ingels, architect and founder of BIG,
honorary professor at KADK
How Architecture, Art and Nature Can Contribute
to Regional Development
Olafur Eliasson, artist
Specific Potentials, Architecture and Landscapes
– How Philanthropy Can Drive Improvements
Jesper Nygård, CEO, Realdania
Round-Table Talks
Concluding Conversation
Danish Minister of Culture Mette Bock and symposium
moderator Kent Martinussen, CEO of Danish
Architecture Centre
Destination Development
Poul Høilund, architect and co-founder of NORRØN
Developing the National Capital
– a Helping Hand From the Provinces
Søren Taaning, artist and chairman of the Danish Arts
Foundation’s Committee for Visual Arts Grants
Site Matters
Anne Skovbro, Executive Director, CPO of Realdania
From Archaeology to Architecture
– the Jelling Monument Site
Kristine Jensen, MAA, MDL, owner, Arkitekt Kristine
Jensens tegnestue, honorary professor at KADK
Panel Debate
Kristine Jensen, Poul Høilund, Søren Taaning, Anne
Skovbro. Moderator Kent Martinussen, CEO of the
Danish Architecture Centre
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Contemporary Art and
Regional Revitalization
Experiences from
Benesse Art Site Naoshima
Benesse Art Site Naoshima is a unique example of the capacity
of art and architecture to drive development in a region located
very far away from the growth and dynamics of big cities.
For just over 30 years, the Japanese businessman Soichiro
Fukutake has invested in promoting growth and development
on the small Japanese island of Naoshima and the neighbouring
islands of Inujima and Teshima, which have suffered under
industrial closures and abandoned facilities and massive
depopulation.
Hiroshi Sambuichi, Kazuyo Sejima and Shinro Ohtake are
among the leading architects and artists who have created
unique settings for experiencing art in nature, closely interwoven
with the local island communities. Although the islands are far
away from the major metropolitan areas and growth in Japan,
they have become international attractions for art and archi-
tecture enthusiasts from all over the world. At the symposiums
in Copenhagen and Aarhus, Soichiro Fukutake offered insights
into the philosophy behind the work of the past 30 years, while
Hiroshi Sambuichi, Kazuyo Sejima and Shinro Ohtake gave
an introduction to their works of art and architecture on the
islands and their collaboration with the local community.
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Soichiro Fukutake
President, Benesse Art Site Naoshima
‘In order to be happy, we have to live in a happy
society. No society can be happy without smiles.
Art can make us smile.’
Soichiro Fukutake presented three guiding principles for
the development of Benesse Art Site Naoshima and the
overall investment in developing the local communities on
the small Japanese islands in the Seto archipelago:
– ‘Use what exists to create what is to be.’
– ‘Nature is man’s best teacher.’
– ‘Economy is a servant to culture.’
The overarching idea that Soichiro Fukutake presented at
the symposiums is that art and architecture can bridge
the gap between cities and rural districts, between past
and present and between capital and culture.
Fukutake presented the approach behind the invest-
ments in Naoshima as ‘Public Interest Capitalism’, where,
as a business leader, he invests the earnings from his
business ventures in initiatives to promote long-term
positive development in Japanese society. The economy
needs a larger context and goal, argued Fukutake, who
explained how the investments in Naoshima began as an
effort to counter the negative consequences of urbaniza-
tion and globalization, which increasingly depletes rural
districts of people and dynamics.
By investing in art museums on the islands but also in art
projects taking over abandoned buildings in villages and
public buildings in the cities, Fukutake aims to create a
new platform for dialogue between an ageing local popu-
lation and younger people from the big cities. Fukutake
described how the local population lives with art and pres-
ents it to visitors. The locals have become art experts who
proudly present something unique. Visitors get both an
impression of Japanese and international contemporary
art and an understanding of the people and values that
exist in this particular place in the Japanese countryside.
The art and architecture projects on the Japanese islands
all address site-specific qualities in the landscapes and
cities, and even the plants from the derelict copper indus-
try are highlighted and presented in new ways. Art and
architecture bridge the gap between history, the present
day and the ideas about the future that art can evoke.
With his investments in the islands, Fukutake seeks to
make all these qualities resources for development, going
forward. The overall goal is to create a happy society.
As Fukutake put it, ‘smiling seniors’ are a sure sign of a
good and happy society that is shaping its future with
respect for the values handed down from the past.
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Shinro Ohtake
Artist
‘I always find it difficult to make models
of my work beforehand. I talk to people,
I discover things on-site, people bring me
things they would like to have included.’
The Japanese artist Shinro Ohtake presented some of
the works of art he has created on the islands over the
past 25 years, including the so-called Art House Projects,
where artists and architects are invited to transform
existing village houses to works of art or galleries.
Among other projects, Ohtake created a bath house on
Naoshima that is a continuation of the Japanese tradi-
tion for local bath houses as well as a total work of art.
Like Ohtake’s other Art Houses, the bath house is made
largely of materials and objects found locally: waste or
remnants from the industry, culture and architecture of
earlier times. Ohtake described how the local population
both co-created the works and subsequently embraced
them as an expression of their shared history and present.
As such, Ohtake’s works are living examples of the
philosophy of working with site-specific qualities and
creating links between unique local features, the local
population and visitors from the city.
Hiroshi Sambuichi
Architect, honorary professor at KADK
‘I receive messages that are four-
hundred years old and pass them on to
future generations.’
Hiroshi Sambuichi presented his art museum on the
island of Inujima and Naoshima Hall, which is a form
of multi-purpose assembly hall, where people can get
together for anything from badminton to theatre.
A common quality in both structures is a careful effort
to incorporate what Sambuichi calls ‘the moving mate-
rials’ – wind, sun, water. Sambuichi carefully examines
the local weather conditions, geography and climate and
how traditional building customs have produced houses
and, indeed, entire cities that are optimized to function
in the local climate. These studies and experiences serve
as the basis of a modern architecture where cooling,
lighting and heating require a minimal use of technology.
Sambuichi’s architecture demonstrates how it is possible
to create a modern sustainable architecture by learning
from nature and passing on the experiences that have
been incorporated into local architectural traditions.
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Kazuyo Sejima
Architect and co-founder of SANAA
‘I used to think that straight lines are
the norm in a building. Perhaps that is
not the case.’
Kazuyo Sejima, partner and co-founder of the architec-
ture firm SANAA together with Ryue Nishizawa, pre-
sented the ferry terminal on Naoshima, an art museum
on Teshima and several Art House Projects on Inujima.
Sejima described how the architecture was developed
with an understanding of the landscape and the local
community. The main feature of the ferry terminal is
an expansive, low roof that shelters the waiting cars
without blocking the view of the landscape behind the
terminal. Nishizawa’s art museum on Inujima resembles
a drop of water nestling in the landscape. In a series of
Art House Projects, Sejima demonstrated how architects
have worked with inspiration from local architecture,
using local materials and, increasingly, sought to create
new settings for local communities.
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Copenhagen
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
Schools of Architecture, Design and
Conservation (KADK)
6 June 2017
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Christen Obel
Chairman of The Obel Family Foundation
‘Sizeable grants, such as building projects,
require a different degree of involvement,
and we almost always engage in a close
dialogue while making sure to maintain an
arm’s length distance.’
Christen Obel presented The Obel Family Foundation
and its contributions, which are driven by the vision of
‘a qualified, whole-hearted effort for the future’. The
foundation mainly supports projects in Northern Jutland
and also owns the property company C. W. Obel Ejen-
domme, whose portfolio includes a number of centrally
located properties in the city of Aalborg. Christen Obel’s
presentation focused on the foundation’s shift from
classic philanthropy, that is, providing grants with limited
involvement in project development, to a more involved
and dialogue-oriented role, especially in connection with
larger building projects. The presentation addressed the
following projects: Utzon Center, Kunsten, Vestre Fjord-
park, Musikkens hus, Spritten, Can Lis and the exchange
programme MADE for young architecture and engineering
students in Denmark and Australia.
Bjarke Ingels
Architect and founder of BIG, honorary professor at KADK
‘Life is always slightly ahead
of architecture.’
Bjarke Ingels presented several examples from his own
practice, demonstrating how architects can create a
sense of identity drawing on existing ways of life and
physical environments. For example, the urban space
Superkilen in Copenhagen includes urban furnishing
such as benches, playgrounds and bus stops from all
the nations represented among the local population.
Bjarke Ingels also highlighted the special role of architec-
ture in shaping new aspects of social life that have yet to
find a permanent form. Architecture can evoke a sense
of identity. The presentation touched on the following
projects: Superkilen, the National Gallery of Greenland,
La Maison de Fondateurs, Kistefos Museum, Vancouver
House and the Maritime Museum of Denmark.
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Olafur Eliasson
Artist
‘How can we bring our humanist
tradition into play?’
Olafur Eliasson spoke of the importance of taking a
humanist approach and about the ability of art to
engage people, inviting them to become part of a
community. In extension of Bjarke Ingels’ reflections on
design and form, Eliasson addressed the importance of
creating spaces where people feel that they are seen and
acknowledged, because the designer has understood
their needs, even if these needs may not have been
verbalized or consciously recognized. Eliasson under-
scored that this humanist insight and approach to
architecture and art are important to convey to new
generations of students. Olafur Eliasson also addressed
the topic of flexible and relational spatial perception,
which inspires and is open to multiple interpretations.
The presentation touched on the following projects:
Beauty (1993), Your rainbow panorama (2006–2011),
Map for unthought thoughts (2014), Riverbed (2014)
and Self-loop (Inujima, 2016).
Jesper Nygård
CEO, Realdania
‘Our work is driven by site-specific
qualities and partnerships that strengthen
local ownership and capacities.’
Jesper Nygård presented some of the challenges that
Denmark and Japan have in common, among them
urbanization, which is leading to an ageing population in
many areas as the young generation increasingly moves
to the cities. Realdania views cities and rural districts as
interdependent – not as opposites. Hence, Realdania’s
focus is on improving quality of life in the built environ-
ment, both in and outside the big cities. The presenta-
tion addressed the following projects, which have either
received funding from Realdania or where Realdania has
also contributed as a change agent: Vendsyssel Teater,
Ribe, Camønoen.
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Round-table talks
The 13 round-table talks that concluded the Copenhagen event
aimed to define the particular potentials of art, architecture
and nature to drive regional development in Denmark and
debated how to promote a broad involvement of politicians,
private citizens, associations, companies and others. Some of
the recurring conclusions across the groups were:
1. Enhance site-specific qualities
Art, architecture and nature can enhance the unique
qualities of a site while also making room for new com-
munities and a new understanding of local or regional
identity. The artist or architect works by facilitating
processes together with the local population and by
creating solutions anchored in the local environment.
Development processes provide opportunities for
promoting a local sense of pride.
2. Make room for experiments
Development should be an open-ended process with
room for a variety of ways of meeting society’s wishes
and needs. Individuals with passion and initiative are
strong drivers of development and able to think outside
the box. We should therefore target grants more directly
to support these enthusiasts and experimental initiatives
with an interdisciplinary and cross-sectorial make-up
that secure broad ownership across organizational
boundaries.
3. Focus on multiple perspectives at the same time
Opening development processes up to a wider range of
actors generates greater engagement, not only among
private citizens but also among competing architects
and artists. This achieves a situation where the conver-
sation embraces multiple perspectives and has room
for multiple professional profiles and thus solutions that
serve multiple purposes and functions. An open approach
also helps make projects meaningful both to locals and
outside visitors.
4. Think architect before building, and artist
before work of art
Far too many architectural solutions and artistic produc-
tions lack distinction, which may be due to a premature
determination of the intended outcome of the process.
Architects and artists should be invited into the dialogue
before the initiators have settled on an idea or a pro-
gramme. The conversation should take its point of depar-
ture in the value of architecture, art or nature to the local
community. This will leads to new projects that engage
and activate more people.
5. Create meaningful circuits
By connecting multiple elements, we can work together
to develop meaningful solutions to complex challenges.
Reusing local resources promotes local ownership. The
link between city and countryside or between new and
old can help lead to sustainable living spaces. If, in addi-
tion, we cultivate slow-paced processes and allow things
to mature slowly, we can enable new possibilities for the
creation of local wonders with a strong narrative.
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6. Create suitable settings
Art, architecture and nature can help create settings for
meetings between people that spark a collective curiosity
and a sense of taking part in meaningful communities.
This also creates a suitable setting for a development
dialogue about future challenges, including the more
difficult ones, which we need to find common solutions to.
7. Rethink planning
Regional development should incorporate a stronger
cultural element. Municipalities can and should assume
a greater responsibility for this development by including
architecture, art and nature in local planning efforts.
Going for visionary and truly distinctive projects makes it
possible to launch initiatives with an impact that spreads
like rings in the water, with a local, national and interna-
tional reach.
8. Share knowledge and inspiration
Far too much energy is wasted on unproductive competi-
tion between neighbouring municipalities or among cities
within the same region. Instead, the focus should be on
sharing knowledge and on mutual inspiration. The same
applies to relations among private citizens, companies
and the municipality. Instead of focusing on differences
of interest, the focus should be on overlapping interests
in order to achieve citizen engagement rather than
merely citizen involvement.
9. Communicate when and where development occurs
Change can happen from the top down or from the
bottom up. It can come from without or from within.
As human beings we always appreciate being close to
the developments or decisions that influence our lives.
The social media are efficient communication platforms
in connection with local developments, because they
are close to people and offer a good way of getting the
word out when changes occur. The social media are thus
appropriate for cultivating close relations and for demon-
strating how short the distance can be from words to
action, even for someone living in a region where the
geographic distances may seem considerable.
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Concluding conversation
Danish Minister of Culture, Mette Bock with symposium moderator Kent Martinussen
‘We need people who master
several languages.’
The minister of culture argued that even if the premises
of the Benesse initiative differ from Danish development
practices, it offers a rich source of inspiration when it
comes to turning former industrial sites into attractive
destinations by working with architecture, art and nature.
The minister also emphasized how important it is for
architects, artists and scholars to master several
‘languages’ to be able to grasp everyone’s needs and
wishes, as a broad conversation promotes the cohesion
of Danish society. The ambition, according to the minister,
is to improve conditions for more people in Denmark
by drawing on existing cultural, social and economic
resources – and by having professionals bringing their
knowledge and competencies into play.
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Aarhus
School of Architecture
7 June 2017
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Poul Høilund
Architect and co-founder of NORRØN
‘We spend a long time developing an
understanding of the landscape, the
culture and the stories, and then we develop
a poetic narrative that guides the way
we develop the site.’
Poul Høilund presented Norrøn’s approach to regional
development, which is the key focus of this young archi-
tecture firm. Høilund explained how Norrøn develops
destinations by analysing potentials in landscapes,
nature and our cultural heritage and then creating new
narratives that bring these potentials into play in new
ways. This approach is exemplified by ‘De hvide dron-
ninger’ (The white queens) by Fakse Ladeplads, which
combines coast protection with the beach environment
and new facilities for bathers. The project relates to
two local stories. One is the story of how lime was once
shipped from the harbour, the other is the story of a
local shipyard that built ships named after queens.
The two stories come together in the project and acquire
a new life in terms of materials and design expression.
Søren Taaning
Artist and chairman of the Danish Arts Foundation’s Visual Arts Grant Committee
‘How can we transfer the creative energy
from the city to the countryside?’
Søren Taaning presented the collaborative art project
Skovsnogen, which is a cross between a work of art and
a venue for outdoor activities in a wood near Sønder
Omme in Jutland. Fusing art with facilities for play,
physical activities and nature experiences, Skovsnogen
has become a popular site for both art lovers and out-
door activities. The presentation of Skovsnogen led to a
general discussion about turning the countryside into a
new workspace for artists and a place for experimental
collaborations between artists and the local population.
Søren Taaning pointed out that while it is increasingly
difficult for artists to find a creative breathing space in
the cities, the countryside offers a wide range of options
for working in a freer and more experimental manner.
Hence, Søren Taaning suggested that a new focus of
regional development could be to encourage artists to
come to the countryside to live and work, for shorter or
longer periods, and that artists similarly should be more
aware of the potentials of the countryside as a place
to work.
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Anne Skovbro
Executive Director, CPO, Realdania
‘Site matters. Base your work on
the unique potentials!’
Anne Skovbro spoke about Realdania’s strategic focus
with regard to promoting regional development. Anne
Skovbro pointed out that agricultural production has
changed and now employs far fewer people than before,
which inevitably influences how many people live in the
rural districts. In light of this change, Anne Skovbro
emphasized the need for a realistic and forward-looking
approach aimed at strengthening local qualities and net-
works and placing quality over quantity. ‘Site matters’ is
the headline for Realdania’s philanthropic effort to
promote regional development. Among the specific
examples mentioned by Anne Skovbro is an effort to revi-
talize some of Denmark’s old seaside towns. This includes
the somewhat run-down seaside town of Marienlyst,
where Realdania helped fund a new urban space that
improves the quality of the city centre and highlights the
town’s connection to the sea. The revitalization effort
is carried out in close cooperation with local businesses
and private citizens, who follow up with improvements
to the built environment overall. As such, the project is an
example of local engagement and ownership, which Anne
Skovbro highlighted as a crucial factor.
Kristine Jensen
Owner, Arkitekt Kristine Jensens tegnestue, honorary professor at KADK
‘We have created a place that is not only
about history but which the citizens of
Jelling can actually identify with.’
Kristine Jensen spoke about the new landscape and land
art project around the Jelling Stone, which is one of Den-
mark’s most important cultural heritage monuments.
Kristine Jensen shared the considerations behind the
distinctive design, which draws out an ancient palisade,
a stone ship and a number of Viking-age houses as land-
scape elements. With a deliberately modern approach
featuring light concrete as a key component, the proj-
ect brings out the different layers of history and gives
modern-day visitors an understanding of the scope and
beauty of the ancient monument.
Kristine Jensen explained how the project helped alter
the local population’s experience of living near one of
Denmark’s most important cultural heritage monuments.
Previously, a certain fatigue with the number of tourists
was widespread locally, but now, the locals embrace the
monument with pride. According to Kristine Jensen, this
change has come about because the project not only
focused on the historical layers but also enhanced the
connections between the monument and the surrounding
city, the new design considering the concerns of everyday
life in the area.
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Panel debate
Anne Skovbro, Søren Taaning, Kristine Jensen, Poul Høilund
The panel debate that rounded off the event addressed some
key issues in relation to regional development, going forward.
The audience contributed with many questions and comments.
Some of the key topics were:
The political debate
We need a broad and well-informed political debate
that takes a realistic view of the possibilities of creating
balanced development in Denmark and which is not stuck
in notions of growth and development shaped by
obsolete assumptions.
Urban-rural synergy
We need to stop viewing city and countryside as polar
opposites or competitors with regard to development
and instead focus on synergies and interplay.
A new urban life in the countryside
We need to utilize the fact that Denmark is a small coun-
try, where the geographic distances between city and
countryside are short. One way of doing this might be to
develop new flexible approaches to life and work, where
city life is combined country life.
A realistic approach
We need a realistic approach that acknowledges and
addresses the fact that some villages will die out, and
some towns will inevitably shrink.
Quality over quantity
We need to focus on quality when developing rural
tourism. The focus should not necessarily be on attracting
more tourists but on creating better, higher-value tourism.
Broad partnerships
We need to combine local engagement and ownership
with outside perspectives and assessments of local
potentials.
Regional development through architecture, nature and art
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Regional development through architecture, nature and art
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KUU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 194: STATENS KUNSTFOND: Rapport om regional udvikling, Danmark & Japan 2017
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The symposiums were organized by the Danish Arts
Foundation’s Committee for Architecture Grants and
Project Funding, rep. by Kim Herforth Nielsen, Mette
Ramsgaard Thomsen, Signe Kongebro, Søren Leth and
Torben Schønherr. In cooperation with the Danish Archi-
tecture Centre, rep. by Kent Martinussen. Aarhus School
of Architecture, rep. by Mogens Morgen. The Royal Danish
Academy of Fine Arts Schools of Architecture, Design and
Conservation, rep. by Arne Høi. Agency for Culture and
Palaces, rep. by Bo Kolbye, Lone Ravn, Signe Marie Ebbe
Jacobsen, Michael Lauenborg, Francine Andersen and Ida
Høybye Davidsen.
Text and layout:
Andel, rep. by Mike Ameko Lippert, Rasmus Rune Nielsen
and Britt Engelhardt Gundersen
Photos:
Oscar Haumann, Zevegraf
Translation:
Dorte Herholdt Silver
Regional development through architecture, nature and art
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