Lauritz de Thurah – Architecture and Worldview in 18th Century Denmark

The project involves a monograph about the Danish architect and polyhistor Lauritz de Thurah (1706-1759), edited by Peter Thule Kristensen and published by Strandberg Publishing in Danish and English in 2023.

The research project is not only about the work and life of a historical figure, but also about the circumstances behind these works and the worldview they represent. Thurah is interesting because he was centrally located during the development of the professionalized Danish absolutist state, and because he covered an architectural productive period in the middle of the 18th century as both an architect, a historian, and a topographer. In addition, his architecture on an artistic level reflects many of the same themes and aspects you also find within contemporary European architecture. Seen from an interior perspective Thurah’s architecture is both site-specific and seismographic in relation to its cultural context, yet often blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, architecture, decoration, and sculpture.

About Peter Thule Kristensen
Peter Thule Kristensen is Professor, Head of the Master Programme Spatial Design at the Royal Danish Academy - Institute of Architecture and Design and Core Scholar at Centre for Privacy Studies at University of Copenhagen. He is M.Arch. from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture (1994), PhD in architectural history from the same institution (2014) and dr.phil. in Art History from Aarhus University (2014).

2012-2017 he was Head of School of Architecture at KADK, 2014-15 also Head of Institute of Architecture and Culture at KADK. 2007-2017 he was Associate Professor, 2004-2007 Assistant Professor, 2001-2004 PhD-student at The Royal Danish Academy, School of Architecture. 1994-2001 he worked as practicing architect among other in own practice, at Architekturbüro Prof. Franz Riepl in Munich and at KHR Architects in Copenhagen.