Research and artistic development

The Institute’s research and artistic development ranges from research into specific issues, such as energy optimisation in the area of cultural heritage, to  more philosophically oriented aesthetic theory.

Culture, history and poetics are three interrelated concepts, which are recurring elements in the Institute’s research. We focus on the relationship between architect, work and culture, in both a contemporary and historical context: analytically in terms of theory and history, and more tangibly in terms of transformation and restoration. Different types of architectural analysis are central to a theoretical context: from specific analysis of buildings to critical, ideological analysis.

The ambition to confront different approaches to research and fields of knowledge is also a priority, if one looks at the individual areas of research in a more isolated way.

Art and architecture

Teachers involved in the graduate programme in Art and Architecture will be an important part of the research environment for artistic development activity in the Institute. The basic structure of artistic development activity is rooted in a distinction between three types of work: imaginary projects; project proposals; realised projects... By means of publications and exhibitions, the environment will bring together local and international operators in a joint dialogue.

Transformation and restoration

The field of transformation and restoration is also directed towards various approaches to research: involving recorded collection of data, theoretical knowledge development and practice-oriented research and development. The basic objective is to seek knowledge and recognition, using both the scientific, data-driven approach and the architectural proposal. In this context, we aim to link the culture-preserving aspect to the culture-creating aspect by reviving the special research culture, which previously, via Kaare Klint’s furniture school and Kay Fisker’s housing laboratory etc., had a productive effect on the development of a specific culture of research in Denmark.  There is a focus on sustainability, which is a central raison d’être for the entire field of transformation. In specific terms, this focus will result in research projects on the subject of energy renovation. 

Architectural history research

The ambition of architectural history is to develop monographic research through a greater focus on historiography and methodological approaches, and through an increased involvement with areas of knowledge outside the strictly architectural: e.g. anthropology and political history. This research can also be directed towards poetics.

Critical sustainability

Research in the area of critical sustainability will connect diverse phenomena, such as prophylactic architecture and planning, urban regeneration after natural disasters, and discourse and visuality-analysis in the area of sustainability.

Finally, there is research, which focuses on current architectural and urban policy issues, image research and more general basic research in the areas of aesthetic theory and key, underlying concepts: e.g. the concept of representation, which could be part of the school’s more interdisciplinary teaching and in the PhD school.