A
Staging Democracy
Name
Christoph James Ahlefeldt-Laurvig
Education degree
Kandidat
Fagfelt
Design
Institute
Architecture and Space
Program
Spatial Design - Architecture, Design and Interiors
Year
2026
The project reimagines the Chamber of the Danish Parliament as a democratic space by shaping the physical framework for a citizens’ council to collaborate with the assembly of representatives. Using spatial design as a tool, it explores how architectural hierarchy can reconfigure political authority and push toward collective responsibility.
Staging Democracy
The proposed intervention reimagines the Chamber of the Danish Parliament as a democratic space centred on collectivity rather than authority. A circular and sloping assembly integrates a citizens’ council among elected representatives and lowers the speaker to a shared position within the room. Through its spatial organisation, materiality, and construction, the intervention seeks to strengthen participation, visibility, and collective responsibility while remaining in dialogue with the historic chamber.
Set of developed surface drawings of The Chamber of the Danish Parliament with the proposed intervention.
.
.
.
.
.
The intervention is conceived as a visible set construction, exposing its structure as a reflection of a transparent and continuously evolving democracy. Through natural and pigmented ash wood elements, it establishes a connection between the assembly and the public galleries above, while interpretations of the chamber’s existing mouldings create a contemporary dialogue with the historic architecture.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Inhabited visualisations
.
.
.
The Royal Danish Academy supports the Sustainable Development Goals
Since 2017 the Royal Danish Academy has worked with the Sustainable Development Goals. This is reflected in our research, our teaching and in our students’ projects. This project relates to the following UN goal(-s)
