History of Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation

The Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation - formerly KADK - was formed in 2011, following a merger of the of the Academy’s School of Architecture, the Danish Design School and the Academy’s School of Conservation.

The idea of the merger was to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and to integrate expertise from related disciplines. Now, based on Holmen and Esplanaden in Copenhagen and at Nexø on Bornholm, the Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation form Denmark’s new, central educational and research environment in the fields of architecture, design and conservation.

The Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation has been synonymous with Danish architecture, design and conservation for 250, 140 and 40 years. In 2011, the Academy was given a new ministry, the Danish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education, and a new management model.

The Royal Danish Academy is based on Holmen and Esplanaden in Copenhagen, and at Nexø on Bornholm.

Important dates:

1754
The Royal Danish Academy of Art, including the School of Architecture, is founded

1875
Foundation of the Danish Design School

1973
Foundation of the Academy of Fine Arts’ School of Conservation

1996
The School of Architecture moves from Kongens Nytorv to Holmen

2010
The Danish School of Design merges with the School of Glass and Ceramics on Bornholm

2011
The School of Design moves its Copenhagen campus from Østerbro to Holmen

2011
The School of Architecture, the School of Design and the School of Conservation merge, becoming the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (KADK).

2011
KADK’s first board is appointed by the Ministry of Culture

2011
KADK transfer from the Ministry of Culture to the Danish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education (from 2014 known as the Ministry of Higher Education and Science) 

2012
KADK acquires an overall Rector

2012
For the very first time, the School of Architecture and the School of Design present a joint graduation show on Holmen

2013
KADK acquires new academic management with seven heads of department, and the board adopt a joint vision and strategy for KADK

2014
KADK introduce a new academic structure with seven new departments and 33 new programmes (12 undergraduate programs and 21 post-graduate programs)

2020 - new name
Just over 10 years after the merger, it was decided that the institution should have a new name, which reflects that the three schools have now seriously become one active, creative academy with a focus on collaboration and interdisciplinarity. The name is 'Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation’.