20th and 21st Century Danish Architecture

[The Wadden Sea Centre, Dorte Mandrup, 2017. Vadehavscentret press photo by Adam Mørk]

Semester & Location:	Fall 2025 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Architecture, Urban Design, Design
Prerequisite:	None
Faculty:	Marie-Louise Jensen Høstbo (current students please reach out to faculty via Canvas Inbox)
Time & Place:	Tue and Fri 8:30-9:50 in Studiestræde 6 - Anneks B, 2nd floor

Please note: Any changes to the calendar will occur on Canvas.

Course Description 

This course focuses on studying and situating 20-21C Danish architecture in relation to the periods' salient historical, political, social, and environmental conditions. This includes positioning and debating Danish architecture in light of, amongst other things, developments in the welfare state and influences from wider European and international architectural movements.

Throughout the course, case studies are used as a primary method, and are deliberated both chronologically and in terms of key thematics and narratives. A combination of lectures, field studies, readings, plenums, written exercises, and group presentations are interwoven to support and strengthen students’ abilities in identifying, analyzing, and discussing varying architectural concerns, values, and qualities.

Learning Objectives

• To demonstrate deeper understandings of 20-21C Danish architecture and the contexts and conditions of its developments.
• To demonstrate an enhanced ability to undertake and communicate informed analyses and criticism based on field studies, lectures, readings, in-class discussions, and case study research.
• To demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the relations between the key developments in Danish architecture in the 20-21C and the Danish welfare state.

Faculty

Marie-Louise Høstbo
Architect MAA, Royal Danish Academy, 2000. Høstbo, Creative Direction - Spatial Transformation, lecturer, writer, photographer, design / project lead, curator, editor, exhibition and interior designer among others, 2020-present. Creative Design Director, Fritz Hansen, 2021-2024. Boardmember SE, 2022-2024. Author and photographer, Secret Places, Strandberg Publishing, 2019-2021, and ARK Journal, Børsen, and severals other books and publications. Architect MAA, Gallery Dansk Møbelkunst, 1994-2019. Member of the Danish Design Council. With DIS since 2025.

Readings

The specific readings are listed in the calendar date details and must be completed before the given class session. The required readings are available on Canvas under Modules or in the DIS Library.

• Bendsen, Jannie Rosenberg. “The Value of Values.” Arkitektur 6, 2010. 53-54.

• Bendsen, Jannie Rosenberg, Riesto, Svava, and Steiner, Henriette. “Untold Stories -on Women, Gender and Architecture in Denmark.” Strandberg Publishing. 9-31.
• Brae, Ellen, Urban Planning in the Nordic World. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 2022. 43-54.
• Crudi, Franco. Urban Development Projects: The best way to build our cities? The Sydhavn case, Copenhagen. 2020. 10.13140/RG.2.2.22211.43047. 
• Dirckinck-Holmfeld, Kim. "Welfare for Everyone" Danish Architecture Since 1754." Copenhagen: The Danish Architectural Press, 2007. 237-310.
• Dirckinck-Holmfeld, Kim. "The Modern Breakdown." Danish Architecture Since 1754." Copenhagen: The Danish Architectural Press, 2007. 311-395.
• Faber, Tobias. New Danish Architecture. Frederick A. Praeger, Inc., New York. 1968. 69-94.
• Fisker, Kay. "The Moral of Functionalism." Nordic Architects Write. Abingdon: Routledge, 2008. 35-39.

• Gehl, Jan. “Cities for People.” Washington DC Island Press, 2010. 137-147.

• Harlang, Christoffer. “Danish Introduction.” Nordic Architects Write. Abingdon: Routledge, 2008. 9-17.
• Jensen, Boris Brorman, and Kristoffer Lindhardt Weiss. “Liberation, the Death of Utopia and the Big Community Machine.” Art of Many. Ed. B. Brorman Jensen and K. Lindhardt Weiss. Copenhagen: The Danish Architectural Press, 2016. 196-205.
• Katz, B., & Noring, L. The Copenhagen City and Port Development Corporation: A Model for Regenerating Cities. The Brookings Institution. City Solution No. 1, 2017.

• Lund, Nils-Ole. “The Nordic.” Nordic Architecture. Copenhagen: The Danish Architectural Press, 2008. 22-34.
• Lund, Nils-Ole. “The Danish Tradition.” Nordic Architecture. Copenhagen: The Danish Architectural Press, 2008. 56-85.
• Lund, Nils-Ole. “The Requirement of Authenticity.” Nordic Architecture. Copenhagen: The Danish Architectural Press, 2008. 124-155.
• Nygaard, Erik. “Introduktion.” Arkitektur Forstået. Transl. Henning Thomsen. Copenhagen: Bogværket, 2011. 8-11.
• Pagh, Jesper. “Follow the Food: How Eating and Drinking Shape Our Cities.” Sustainable Consumption and the Good Life, ed. Karen Lykke Syse and Martin Lee Mueller, Routledge, 2015.
• Patteeuw, Véronique, and Szacka, Léa-Catherine. “Critical Regionalism for our time.” Architectural Review, 2019. 92-98.
• Plummer, Henry. "Introduction." Nordic Light: Modern Scandinavian Architecture. Thames & Hudson. 2012. 1-13.
• Rasmussen, Steen Eiler. “Basic Observations.” Nordic Architects Write. Ed. Michael Asgaard Andersen. Abingdon: Routledge, 2008. 41-49.
• Søberg, Martin. "Kay Fisker's Classical Principles for Modern Housing." Reflecting Histories and Directing Futures: Proceedings Series. 2019. 55-74.
• Sørensen, Erik Christian “On Form, In Space.” Nordic Architects Write. Ed. Michael Asgaard Andersen. Abingdon: Routledge, 2008. 50-59.
• Vestergaard, Hedvig. "A short history of housing and housing policy in Denmark since 1945." Housing in Denmark. Aalborg University, 2007.  15-ff.
• Vindum, Kjeld, and Kristoffer Lindhardt Weiss. “A Conversation About the Architecture of the New Wave.” The New Wave in Danish Architecture. Ed. Kjeld Vindum and Kristoffer Lindhardt Weiss. Copenhagen: The Danish Architectural Press, 2012. 364-376.

Approaches to Teaching

The course is anchored in a combination of group and individual field studies to exemplary case studies, which are supported by a series of lectures, required readings, and in class discussions. Furthermore, two half-day field trips are woven in to the course structure, affording more time for deepening collegial debates and experiential learning on-site. 

Expectations of Students

Active participation, group work, individual research, and personal reflection are required. Moreover, the required readings are to be read in advance of the associated class session, and it is expected that students show-up ready to discuss the readings' main points in connection to the material presented during class.

Workload

The general rule of thumb is that students are expected to spend approximately 2-3 hours of work/study/prep time outside of class for each hour that they spend in class.

Field Studies

The field studies - both group and independent site visits - are the primary experiential learning components of this course. They are integral and integrated in order to illustrate and expand upon the contents of the lectures, readings, and plenums.

Assignments

In addition to class participation (an ongoing assessment across the duration of the semester), there are three other grading moments in the course. Each of these three assignments is crafted and positioned to challenge and support students in developing and demonstrating skills relative to the course's learning objectives. These are briefly described below:

Field Study work

An essay based on a field study. Students will analyze works of architecture using different frameworks, ranging from theoretical to visual. These will be announced in the assignments' briefs.

Case Study Analysis and Presentation (group work)

This assignment is a group effort: an oral and visual presentation communicating in-depth analytical research on a Danish urban design / architecture case study. Each group will be comprised of 3-4 students to be determined in the first week of the course. As a minimum the analysis addresses the social-political, environmental, and economic contexts and responses of the project. The guidelines for this group assignment will be discussed towards the start of the course. The presentations themselves will occur approximately 2/3 into the semester. Furthermore, all students in the class are required to provide written peer (and self) assessment on all the presentations. 

Take-home Exam: Logbook (individual work)

Grading

Assignment	Percent
Participation (active individual participation in class and on field studies)	25%
Field study work	20%
Case Study Analysis & Presentation	25%
Take-home Exam (a.k.a. Log Book)	30%

Academic Regulations

Make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website, including the regulations concerning: 

• • Course Enrollment and Grading  
  • Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

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