Vandkunsten Det Blå Hjørne 2007
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Tegnestuen Vandkunsten a/s, often referred to simply as Vandkunsten, is a Danish architectural firm founded in 1970. Vandkunsten were awarded the Alvar Aalto Medal in 2009 for being a "modern and elaborator of
Alvar Aalto Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (; 3 February 1898 – 11 May 1976) was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings. He never regarded himself as an artist, see ...
's ideological heritage". This was the first time that the Alvar Aalto Medal was awarded to a team of architects instead of an individual. Their pioneering and influential work in residential architecture and housing developments has been described as characterized by convertibility, communality, residential involvement, dense-low rise, and sustainable development.Museum of Finnish Architecture: Alvar Aalto Medal 2009
retrieved 7 March 2010
The office comprising around 30 designers, is located in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
, while having completed projects in
Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
and other parts of
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
as well.


History

Tegnestuen Vandkunsten was established in 1970 by the architects Svend Algren, Jens Thomas Arnfred, Michael Sten Johnsen and Steffen Kragh. The partner group has been joined in 2000 by the architects Jan Albrechtsen and Ole Halfdan Andersen and in 2008 by the architects Flemming Ibsen, Pernille Schyum Poulsen, Søren Nielsen and landscape architect Thomas Nybo Rasmussen.


Works

One of the office's early works which later became influential was Tinggården, a residential district in
Herfølge Herfølge is a suburb of the town of Køge, Denmark, located about 5 kilometers south of central Køge, and is a part of Køge Municipality. The suburb is connected to Køge and Næstved by the Lille Syd railway line. Herfølge Church Herføl ...
, a suburb just south of
Køge Køge (, older spelling ''Kjøge'') is a Danish seaport on the coast of Køge Bugt (''Bay of Køge'') 39 km southwest of Copenhagen. It is the principal town and seat of Køge Municipality, Region Sjælland (Zealand), Denmark. In 2025, the ...
in Denmark (1971–78), notable for the spatial solutions aimed to promote social coherence, the minimization of construction costs through the use of advanced technology and simple materials, and the "relaxed yet modern" expression of the Danish traditions. The social housing complex comprises 78 houses with an average area of 87m². Another early work, the Blue Corner, (Danish: et Blå Hjørne) (1983–89) in Copenhagen's
Christianshavn Christianshavn () is a neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark. Part of the Indre By District, it is located on several artificial islands between the islands of Zealand and Amager and separated from the rest of the city centre by the Inner Harbour, ...
district is characterized by the creative use of the composition of the landscape. Dianas Have at
Hørsholm Hørsholm () is an urban area on the Øresund coast approximately north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It covers most of Hørsholm Municipality and straddles the borders neighbouring Fredensborg Municipality and Rudersdal Municipality. Hørsholm proper ...
, Denmark (1991–92), and Hestra Parkstad in Sweden (1991–92), became models for the 1990s
row house A terrace, terraced house (British English, UK), or townhouse (American English, US) is a type of medium-density housing which first started in 16th century Europe with a row of joined houses party wall, sharing side walls. In the United States ...
districts in which narrow 'fingers' of buildings emerged into the surrounding landscape. The details of the interiors and exterior and innovative use of materials were meant to enhance the daily life of the people in an exemplary manner. The conversion of the Torpedo Boat Shipyard at
Holmen, Copenhagen () is a water-bound neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark, occupying the former grounds of the Holmen Naval Base, Royal Naval Base and Dockyards. In spite of its name, deceptively in Grammatical number, singular, Holmen is a congregation of small ...
into a block of flats at the turn of the millennium (2001–03), became exemplary in the way the designers created a unique place for living. The steel and concrete Torpedo Hall, constructed in 1954, served as a maintenance hall for torpedo boats. In the conversion the architects left the structural elements intact to emphasize the architecture of this 155 meter long building. Instead, a new independent concrete structure has been built, which has the same five meter grid as the columns in the old hall but, shifted by 40 centimeters. The 67 apartments located in the building range from 83 m2 to 275 m2.Arcspace: Torpedo Hall Apartments
retrieved 7 March 2010
Their more recent works, such as the Sømærk at Teglholmen (2003–08) and some residential blocks in Ørestaden (2003–08), both in Copenhagen, are remarkable for introducing earthbound social, spatial and functional elements to multi-storey residential constructions. File:Vandkunsten det blå hjørne 2007.jpg, Blue Corner Housing,
Christianshavn Christianshavn () is a neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark. Part of the Indre By District, it is located on several artificial islands between the islands of Zealand and Amager and separated from the rest of the city centre by the Inner Harbour, ...
File:Dianas Have housing Hørsholm 2008.jpg, Dianas Have,
Hørsholm Hørsholm () is an urban area on the Øresund coast approximately north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It covers most of Hørsholm Municipality and straddles the borders neighbouring Fredensborg Municipality and Rudersdal Municipality. Hørsholm proper ...
File:Torpedohallen holmen2.jpg, Torpedo Boat Shipyard flats, Holmen File:Vandkunsten ørestaden 2007.jpg, Ørestaden City housing


See also

*
Architecture of Denmark The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking Age, revealed by archaeological finds. It was established in the Middle Ages when first Romanesque architecture, Romanesque, then Gothic architecture, Gothic churches and cathedrals, wer ...


References


External links

{{commons category, Tegnestuen Vandkunsten
Official siteArchitecture lab: Copenhagen Harbor Housing Project
Architecture firms of Denmark Architecture firms based in Copenhagen Companies based in Copenhagen Danish companies established in 1970 Design companies established in 1970 Companies based in Copenhagen Municipality Recipients of the Eckersberg Medal Recipients of the C.F. Hansen Medal