Let's Talk Architecture
Arts
About
Join the Danish Architecture Center as we chat with some of the world's leading architects, designers, planners, and engineers about their work and ideas. Let's Talk Architecture introduces you to the creative and innovative minds behind the future of our buildings and cities. Let's Talk Architecture introduces you to the creative and innovative minds behind the future of our buildings and cities. Get to know the creative and innovative minds that shapes Danish architecture. Author and journalist, Michael Booth, is not an architect, but he is curious about cities, and how they are built. In this podcast he ventures out...
Episodes
- Reframing the Periphery
Host Michael Booth interviews architect Reiulf Ramstad about SMK Thy, a new branch of the Danish National Gallery located in a small coastal village. The discussion covers the project's focus on landscape integration, material reuse, and i…
- Using Nature to Recharge Infrastructure?
Host Michael Booth and architect Louise Flach de Neergaard of Cobe discuss the design of EV charging stations for Clever. The episode explores how incorporating timber canopies and nature-based design can transform infrastructure into spac…
- Using nature to turn billion Euro flooding into life quality bonus
Host Michael Booth speaks with SLA CEO Mette Skjold about the Bispeparken project in Copenhagen, which utilizes nature-based climate adaptation to manage flooding while enhancing public space. The episode explores how landscape architectur…
- BLOX Unpacked
Host Michael Booth and DAC CEO Kent Martinussen discuss the design and development of the BLOX building in Copenhagen. They explore the vision of architect Rem Koolhaas, the building's role as urban infrastructure, and its evolution since…
- Can Architecture Heal Us?
Host Michael Booth talks to architect Dorte Mandrup about the role of architecture in healthcare, focusing on Copenhagen's Centre for Health. They discuss how design elements like timber construction and the building's layout influence wel…
- Building a Mega-Museum
Architect Claus Pryds shares the 18-year story behind designing Denmark's new Natural History Museum with host Michael Booth. The episode covers the challenges, breakthroughs, and design process of the museum, set to open in 2027.
- Why biodiversity Matters and how to get more
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture features ecologist Kristine Kjørup Rasmussen discussing how architecture can support biodiversity in urban environments. Host Michael Booth and Rasmussen explore Copenhagen's Nordhavn to examine meth…
- How to build a megaproject: The Fermern Belt Link
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses megaprojects, using the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link as a case study. Guests visit the construction site to explore its scale and discuss the future of megaprojects amid sustainability concerns.
- Can design strengthen community?
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses the Vores Sted project in Denmark, which is constructing 150 community spaces using recycled materials. Host Michael Booth visits a new pavilion with Simeon Østerlund Bamford of ReVærk to l…
- Designing for presence in a digital age
Host Michael Booth and architect Nikoline Dyrup explore the challenges to human presence in the digital age and how design can enhance connection, referencing Spacon's exhibition "Meet Me Here".
- BIG HQ: When architects design for themselves
Bjarke Ingels guides a tour of BIG's new headquarters in Copenhagen, discussing the design choices and sustainability considerations when architects design for themselves. The episode explores the new seven-story concrete-and-glass buildin…
- Make Odense great again
Host Michael Booth interviews architect Marianne Tonim Nielsen about Odense, Denmark's urban transformation. The discussion covers how the city shifted from being car-dominated to a human-scale environment, ready for 21st-century challenge…
- A New Park is Born
Copenhagen's new Opera Park, designed by Maj Wiwe of Cobe, offers a unique harbourfront space for contemplating nature, featuring diverse plants and intentionally omitting amenities like playgrounds or gyms. The episode details the design…
- How to make renovation the new norm
This episode discusses the HouseEurope! initiative, which advocates for making building renovation the standard in Europe. Enlai Hooi shares his perspective on transforming existing structures, even those considered unappealing, to break t…
- New policy, better cities?
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses the role of policy in shaping cities, featuring insights on a Danish white paper addressing climate change and urban revitalization. Host Michael Booth talks with Kent Martinussen and Jespe…
- Designing a 21st century church
Host Michael Booth discusses the design of Trekroner Church, completed in 2019, with architects Nicolai Overgaard and Irina Maksimovich. The episode explores creating religious spaces for 21st-century needs, including community and contemp…
- How to design for rising sea levels
Host Michael Booth talks with architect Anna Als Nielsen about Svendborg's innovative approach to rising sea levels and flooding. Instead of sea walls, the Danish town is creating recreational spaces through controlled flooding, an adaptat…
- How cloudbursts define the future of our cities
Host Michael Booth and Rikke Juul Gram discuss how designing urban spaces to manage increasing water volumes, exemplified by the Karens Minde Aksen project in Copenhagen, is crucial for building resilient and sustainable cities in the face…
- What's it like to live in a high-rise?
Mette Mechlenborg discusses a new study on high-rise living in Denmark with host Michael Booth. They explore the qualities of living in tall residential buildings and whether Danish families can thrive in such environments.
- Why cultural heritage is more than good architecture
Host Michael Booth and Kristoffer Lindhardt Weiss examine the criteria for preserving buildings and whether the climate crisis will alter these standards. They discuss Copenhagen's architecture, from the Palads Cinema to the SAS Royal Hote…
- How architecture can improve life quality of hospitalized children
Michael Booth talks with Stig Gothelf and My Lunsjö about the design of Børneriget, Denmark
- How to make good business within the planetary boundaries
This episode discusses Home.Earth, a real estate company building sustainable, affordable, and inclusive housing. It explores how they align environmental and financial goals by managing properties throughout their lifespan and sharing pro…
- How the 15 minutes city became a measure for urban quality
The '15 Minutes City' concept, aiming for local accessibility by foot or bike, is discussed. The episode explores its benefits, including reduced carbon footprint, and addresses recent conspiracy theories surrounding the idea, featuring C4…
- How rebuilding war-torn areas can accelerate the sustainable transition
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses the Build-back-green project in Voznesensk, Ukraine, which utilizes sustainable building materials such as straw, clay, and timber. Host Michael Booth talks with Christoffer Breitenbauch ab…
- What comes after concrete?
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses the need for alternatives to concrete and steel due to their high CO2 impact. It explores bio-based materials such as hempcrete, cork, and mycelium, and the challenges and potential for the…
- How to measure the unmeasurable qualities of urban space
A pilot project in Herlev, Copenhagen, uses art to measure the unmeasurable qualities of urban space, like aesthetic and historical traits, during a housing development. Host Michael Booth discusses this unconventional approach with artist…
- How to transform buildings with no waste
Søren Pihlmann, a Danish architect, explains his method of reusing building materials like plumbing and concrete for new purposes. He discusses his radical project at Thoravej 29, transforming an old office into a cultural center, highligh…
- How to build high-quality housing on the road to reduction
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture features a visit to Living Places, an experimental village in Copenhagen showcasing low-emission housing. Co-hosted by Sinus Lynge of EFFEKT Architects, the discussion covers reducing environmental i…
- Sydney Opera House 50 years: How to make art out of compromises
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House, designed by Jørn Utzon. It delves into the controversies, compromises, and collaborations involved in the project, featuring insights from Li…
- How architecture can drive social change
This episode discusses how architecture and social policies, such as Denmark's 'parallel society law' which involves evictions and renovations, are used to combat issues like unemployment and crime in public housing. The podcast examines t…
- Why waste cannot go to waste in the building industry
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture features a cross-cultural conversation with circular economy experts Anders Lendager and Maarten Gielen. They discuss the challenges and potential for implementing circular economy frameworks in the…
- How experimenting can foster sustainable living
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture features Frederik Noltenius Busk of CPH Village discussing experiments in temporary, affordable student housing in Copenhagen. The focus is on sustainable living through smaller homes and shared comm…
- The secrets behind producing great architects
Host Michael Booth talks with Aarhus School of Architecture principal Torben Nielsen about the school's new ADEPT-designed building. They discuss creating a learning environment that empowers students to tackle societal challenges, redefin…
- How inclusive design can increase learning
Architect Eva Ravnborg discusses how inclusive design can enhance learning environments by creating equitable spaces, using Frederiksbjerg School as an example of activating children in diverse ways.
- How AI changes architecture as we know it
Signe Kongebro of Henning Larsen discusses the use of AI in architecture, including AI-generated renderings for efficient design processes and citizen engagement, on the Danish Architecture Center podcast "Let's Talk Architecture".
- How the rising sea levels call for new ways to imagine the future cities
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses the 'Coastal Imaginaries' exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale, which uses theatrical scenarios to explore future solutions for coastal cities facing climate change and rising sea…
- Where to find ugly architecture in the World Capital of Architecture?
Michael Booth and Holger Dahl discuss and explore Copenhagen's less popular architectural sites, including the BLOX building, in this episode of the Danish Architecture Center podcast.
- How to protect a livable city against disasters
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses how architects can ensure future-proof designs and protect livable cities against disasters. Host Michael Booth talks with Martin Henn and Caroline Nagel about the meaning of resilience in…
- How office design impacts the way your brain works
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses neuroarchitecture, exploring how office design impacts emotions, creativity, and productivity. Architect Klaudio Muca shares insights from research and interviews with scientists on how spa…
- How scarce resources shape architecture
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses the urgent need for regenerative architecture due to scarce resources. Architects Ingrid Taillandier and Susan Carruth explore densification, new materials, and aesthetics as crucial elemen…
- How cities adapt to the changing climate
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture explores diverse urban adaptation strategies for extreme weather, including green buildings and flood protection. Guests Paolo Russo and Ole Schrøder discuss projects like forest-covered skyscrapers…
- How partnerships became essential in architecture
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture features host Michael Booth speaking with Ifeoma Ebo and Sinus Lynge about the essential role of partnerships in shaping urban environments and changing the construction value chain. They discuss wha…
- Why retail is key in catalyzing urban identity
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture features Peter Bur Andersen of BRIQ Group discussing how strategic retail planning can build community and strengthen urban identity. He highlights two Copenhagen projects, emphasizing a place-specif…
- How to keep the expanding city at eye level
Anne Mette Boye, Aarhus's city architect since 2021, shares her vision for managing the Danish city's rapid growth. She focuses on creating a mosaic of urban neighborhoods connected to the rural landscape, aiming to keep the expanding city…
- How city design shapes your eating habits
Gehl Architects CEO Helle Søholt and CIO Jeff Risom discuss how city design, or 'foodscapes,' impacts food choices. They explain that urban design can be improved to promote healthy eating and social interactions related to food.
- How Danish architecture became world famous
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses the 1960 Arne Jacobsen hotel and the debate over Danish architecture's style. It explores how this discussion influenced Danish architecture's rise to international fame, featuring Kent Mar…
- Why a good city for kids is a city for everyone
This episode of Let's Talk Architecture discusses Copenhagen's transformation from a city with a declining population to a thriving urban center by implementing child-friendly policies. Featuring insights from Copenhagen city architect Cam…
- Why architecture cannot speak for itself
Josefine Lykke Jensen, CEO at JAJA Architects, explains how strategic communication can help people better understand architecture's role and foster better architectural practices. The discussion highlights communication as a vital tool, p…
- How The Future is Democratic Architecture not Starchitecture
This episode discusses Vandkunsten Architects' philosophy of democratic architecture, founded in 1971 on principles of environmental respect and building for people. Featuring Søren Nielsen and Michael Booth, it explores why this approach…
- How architecture is the interplay between form and life
Architect Jan Gehl shares insights on urban design and city planning, illustrating how architectural form impacts city life through a tour of various areas in Copenhagen.