Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Architecture
among the basic ideas of the building from the very start,” Christensen elaborates. The approach has proved successful, and the firm was nominated for the European Business Awards earlier this year, in the category Environment and Corporate Sustainability. “We are obviously flattered that our work is recognised, and that people appreciate what we do,” Christensen notes Going back in time A leading country within sustainability, Denmark is an inspiration to many. It is a pressing issue and is becoming increasingly important within every aspect of society. However, Christensen makes the point that we are only just returning to old traditions. “Before, they built their houses to take advantage of the surrounding nature, cold or warm, and knew how to exploit the house to its full potential. You still see it in Africa and in the Arctic areas,” Christensen says. “We are thus going back in time, taking into consideration wind directions, the sun and the natural surroundings of the building.” Following this approach, every project adheres to particular characteristics although not a style. “Every project and building has a unique history which we need to take into consideration, but the golden thread is utilisation of daylight and creation of social spaces,” Christensen elaborates. A university campus out of the ordinary When the new DTU 324 building, part of the Technical University Denmark in Lyngby, opens in December, it will make other students green with envy. The building is characterised by eight towers over three floors, containing research and lec-
The new DTU 324 building, part of the Technical University Denmark in Lyngby
ture rooms, which are connected by bridges. Integrated in the space are 20 large black olive trees, reaching six to eight metres into the air. Together, these produce sufficient oxygen and humidity that they reduce the need for technical ventilation. “They create a natural environment,” Christensen says about this ground-breaking way of thinking. The Sun House – a nursery that creates a new generation of sustainable minds Another noteworthy project is Solhuset, appropriately translating to the Sun House. The nursery runs on electricity from solar panels, and the building is carefully faced south to get the most of out the sun. The building also houses an integrated greenhouse, and the children can see how solar panels work. “While the aim was obviously to create a nursery where
children would be happy, it was also to make them aware of sustainable solutions. These are the people of the future, and this way, they will understand how the world works from an early age,” Christensen says, and continues to emphasise the importance of daylight by referring to a study by a PhD student who followed a group within the nursery a year and a half before they started and a year and a half after. “Children and workers are exposed to three times the normal daylight at the nursery, and the PhD student found remarkable evidence that they were happier, less physically ill and more concentrated after starting at the nursery.”
For more information, please visit: www.christensenco.dk
Above: The Sun House (Solhuset) runs on electricity from solar panels on the roof. Photos: Adam Mørk.
Issue 44 | September 2012 | 41