Copenhagen's Architecture Biennial: A Fresh Look at Building Slowly

The Copenhagen Architecture Biennial kicked off on September 18, running until October 19, with a focus on slowing down. This event, organized by CAFx, is a step up from the city's old annual festival. It's now a bigger, international stage for talking about architecture and how it shapes our world. The theme, "Slow Down," is a nudge to think about how fast we're building and changing things, especially with all the pressure from cities growing, resources running low, and climate change.

A Biennial Packed with Ideas

The biennial is packed with over 250 events, from exhibitions to tours. Some big names are there, like Rem Koolhaas and Atelier Bow-Wow, along with local Danish firms. One cool part is the Slow Pavilions, like:

• "Barn Again" by Tom Svilans and THISS Studio – Made from old barn wood, showing how materials can have a second life.
• "Inside Out, Upside Down" by Slaatto Morsbøl – Uses reused materials to make visitors aware of their surroundings.

Reusing, Repurposing, and Reflecting

The Slow Down exhibition is spread across two places, Copenhagen and Malmö, showing how architecture can be a way to pause and think.

• "Thoravej 29" by Pihlmann Architects – A 1967 industrial building turned into something new, keeping most of the original materials.
• "Chapel Retold" – A 1954 chapel given a new purpose by architects, artists, and artisans.
• The Clay Pavilion by the Royal Danish Academy – Uses unfired clay tiles, better for the environment than regular bricks.

Historic Spaces, Modern Ideas

• Nikolaj Kunsthal, a historic church turned art space, got a makeover by Morten Emil Engel. The project mixed old and new, showing how we can respect history while making spaces work for today.

Sustainable Architecture Talks

During the biennial, there were talks about big ideas for making architecture more sustainable. Things like:

• Rewilding
• Using fewer resources
• Making sure materials don't go to waste

These ideas are important for the future of building.