Danish Desire: Sustainable Methods in Architecture & Design
Jan 22 2022
event: talk online

Environmental and social responsibility are integral to good design. In Denmark, robustly funded research & development in green technology, design and production helps to create jobs and contributes to building a strong economy. Eco-certified buildings within socially conscious, green cities offer bold new approaches to urban renewal that are inspiring new projects globally. In Danish furniture production, methods are continually updated to further reduce the carbon footprint, with elegant, functional designs that last generations.

Our panelists will explore the green wave’s impact on design for a better future and uncover:

  • What can we learn from Denmark’s sustainable design initiatives?
  • What are the economic advantages, if any, to investing in green design?
  • How has increased awareness of climate change inspired architects and designers?
  • How do green buildings and cities benefit the health of individuals and communities?
  • Are students of design today learning fresh approaches to sustainable design?

PARTICIPANTS

Lene Tanggaard: CEO of Kolding Design School, and Professor of Psychology, Department of Communication & Psychology at University of Aalborg, Denmark

Lene Tanggaard is CEO of the Design School Kolding in Denmark, and Professor of Psychology at the University of Aalborg, Denmark. She is the Director of The International Centre for the Cultural Psychology of Creativity (ICCPC), and co-director of the Center for Qualitative Studies, a network of more than 90 professors and researchers concerned with the methodology and development of new research tools. Tanggaard is regional editor of The International Journal of Qualitative Research in Education. She also serves as board member of Designskolen Kolding and acts as advisory board member in numerous committees and organisations.

Louis Becker: Global Design Principal of Henning Larsen Architecture. Adjunct Professor at the Aalborg University Institute of Architecture, Design and Media Technology

Louis Becker is Global Design Principal at Henning Larsen Architecture. He is the driving force behind global and North American expansion of the practice, with recent competition wins for Carl H. Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati, and the Etobicoke Civic Centre in Toronto. Since joining Henning Larsen in 1989, Louis’s expertise has covered cultural and commercial architecture, overseeing the development of the practice’s design profile. His approach strives to ensure that the architecture speaks directly to users and gives back to the society in which it exists. Louis Becker is Adjunct Professor at the Aalborg University Institute of Architecture, Design and Media Technology. He regularly sits on juries for international competitions and is a sought-after speaker at universities in Denmark and abroad. In 2011, he was awarded the Eckersberg Medal from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, recognising his achievements in elevating Danish architecture’s global presence.

Kasper Holst Pedersen: Master cabinetmaker and Principal of PP Møbler, a leading furniture maker in Denmark

Kasper Holst Pedersen is the CEO and Master Craftsman of PP Møbler in Denmark. He studied mathematics and physics at the university of Copenhagen before training as a cabinetmaker with Rud. Rasmussen in Copenhagen, obtaining the Queens medal of excellent craftsmanship. He joined the family company in 2001, implementing state of the art production technology, while developing the traditions of real Danish crafts, following the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Pedersen believes furniture must be part of a natural sustainable circle concerned with the origin of the materials and the re-planting and nursing of the forests. The establishment of a renewable forest near the PP Møbler workshop is one of many steps taken by the company toward fulfilling this aspiration.

Katja Aga Thom: Principal of Agathom Architects, an award-winning Toronto based architectural practice focusing on residential and commercial projects, public art installations and exhibitions

Katja Aga Sachse Thom is a principal of AGATHOM Co, an award-winning Toronto based architectural practice focusing on residential and commercial projects, public art installations and exhibitions. The studio blends a love of modernism with a rigorous craft and a sensitivity to local. Intimate and monumental, playful and daring, idiosyncratic and familiar are characteristics the studio exhibits in the making of space. Katja studied museum studies and sculpture at the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico before receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture at the University of New Mexico. She earned her Master of Architecture degree from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles. Danish by birth, Katja studied urban planning at the Aarhus School of Architecture in Denmark.

Hosted by TORP, the Danish Consulate General in Toronto, and as a feature of the Nordic Bridges initiative at Harbourfront Centre.

We’re also excited to offer an in-person exhibition during the DesignTO Festival at our showroom in Toronto, at 245 Davenport Road, suite 200. Meet the team at TORP and take a tour of the finest examples of Danish modern furniture and design.

Participants

TORP Inc., Danish Consulate General, Nordic Bridges, Harbourfront Centre, Lene Tanggaard, Louis Becker, Kasper Holst Pedersen, Katja Aga Thom

Accessibility

Who should visitors contact with questions regarding accessibility?
Arne Nordtorp
Hans Wegner’s Circle Chair (pp130) from PP Møbler. PP Møbler uses wood from locally sourced forests to ensure high quality and minimise transportation. The company also reduces CO2 output by using any wood waste chips or sawdust to generate energy for heating and other uses, along with other building measures designed for energy efficiency. The company has also replaced old lacquers with water-based ones to reduce toxic output.
Poul Henningsen’s PH Artichoke lamp from Louis Poulsen. Governed by the premise that high-quality, long-lasting materials and products are inherently sustainable, Louis Poulsen has been ramping up efforts to create a better workplace, including recently converting their Vejen facility to be powered solely by renewable electricity.
Arne Jacobsen’s Egg™ chair from Fritz Hansen. Upholstered in Re-wool, a 45% recycled wool designed by Margrethe Odgaard for textile producer, Kvadrat. Fritz Hansen collaborates with partners and suppliers to ensure that sustainable practices and materials in production are maximised, including minimising the use of harmful chemicals and lacquers.
Oki Sato’s (Nendo Design) N02™ Recycle chair from Fritz Hansen. Made from 100% upcycled plastic household waste that can be 100% recycled at the end of its use. Each plastic part is marked for correct sorting on disassembly and recycling, and the upholstery is 98% post-consumer recycled polyester by Just, certified by OEKO-TEX and the EU Ecolabel.
Thomas Alken’s Sammen Garden Furniture line from FDB Møbler. The furniture from FDB Møbler is carefully crafted to be long lasting and sustainably produced. The company aims to be Denmark’s most environmentally responsible furniture company and CO2 neutral. All products are designed and made to last generations, made with wood that is FSC certified, and all upholstery textiles are labeled OEKO-TEX.
Iksos-Berlin’s Fiber chair from Muuto is made from an innovative wood fiber composite and can be disassembled to be 100% recyclable for future production. Muuto strives for sustainable production using materials that minimize harmful chemicals, providing many products that adhere to several certification labels, including the Declare Living Building Challenge, the Global Greentag Label, the FSC, VOC testing and ANSI BIFMA & European Standard Testing for performance, strength, and safety.