DKK 7 million from Bevica Fonden for disability inclusion in architecture and design

A new DKK 7 million grant from Bevica Fonden supports the Royal Danish Academy’s efforts to focus on disability inclusion in its educational and research activities. The grant makes it possible to extend and supplement existing cooperation, comprising research, PhD projects and a new visiting professorship.

Architects and designers exert profound influence on how the physical prerequisites for everyday life are shaped by the solutions and products they design. But devising solutions and coming up with ideas that can make life easier for people with disabilities requires the designer to have an inclusive mindset in approaching this work.

Leave no one behind
Under the motto ‘Leave no one behind’, the Royal Danish Academy has intensified its focus over the past three years on disability inclusion and universal design in its educational and research activities. For instance, more than 300 students have been put through training exercises enabling them to personally experience how a disability can challenge and restrict their options.

The lessons learnt have translated into ideas and, specifically, actively raising awareness and understanding of how all people and human bodies must be included whenever we design new buildings or objects, not least in our view of humanity and the way we approach problems.

“It’s not only a question of obeying the law by adding ramps and making space for wheelchair users so that people with a disability can access a building or move around. It’s actually much more than that and touches on the human condition – and how we view it,” says Irene Lønne, Director of Innovation and Business at the Royal Danish Academy. “The solutions are not a matter of course, but require an inclusive mindset and a view of humanity that changes the way we view architecture and the design we create.”

Substantial new grant from Bevica Fonden 
The inclusion-related efforts are based on a DKK 5 million grant awarded to the Royal Danish Academy by Bevica Fonden in 2018. An additional grant of DKK 7 million from Bevica Fonden makes it possible to expand and deepen existing cooperation based on a five-year agreement comprising research, PhD projects and a new visiting professorship.

The additional grant is very pleasing for the Royal Danish Academy.

“The Royal Danish Academy’s efforts to build up a research environment and educational activities in the area of universal design and accessibility have made great progress and achieved visible results,” says Mathilde Serup, Head of the Institute of Architecture and Design, where the cooperation with Bevica Fonden is embedded. “This takes time and resources, which is why I’m pleased that this new grant from Bevica Fonden will enable us to continue working on and strengthening our educational activities and research environment.”

Bevica Fonden is looking forward to continuing its cooperation with the Royal Danish Academy.

“An inclusive view of humanity is a mainstay of Bevica Fonden’s strategy, which the educational activities and research at the Royal Danish Academy underpin through their approach, not least their efforts to instil an inclusive mindset in the architects and designers of the future,” says Marianne Kofoed, CEO of Bevica Fonden. “Bevica Fonden is ready to intensify its ambitions in this shared effort, and the new agreement lays the groundwork for involving even more students, instructors and researchers and highlighting their efforts to an even greater extent. This is reflected in the grant, which intensifies the focus on interdisciplinary and external cooperation, as well as on educational activities and more funding for building up the research environment.”

Partnering with Bevica Fonden is part of the Royal Danish Academy’s commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.