Art of Many and the Right to Space

The Danish contribution to the Architecture Biennale in Venice, Italy in 2016 is a snapshot of a new humanism in Danish architecture. With a wunderkammerof architectural prototypes, the two curators behind the exhibition are seeking to highlight the humanistic focus of Danish architecture right now.

Every other year, architecture enthusiasts flock to Venice to see architects from all over the world present their challenging and inspiring ideas and projects at the legendary Architecture Biennale. The Danish Architecture Centre is the Ministry of Culture Denmark's commissioner for the biennale project, which is funded by the Ministry of Culture, Realdania and the Danish Arts Foundation's Committee for Architecture Grants and Project Funding. These institutions have appointed architect Boris Brorman Jensen and philosopher Kristoffer Lindhardt Weiss to curate the exhibition in the Danish pavilion at the biennale. 

"Boris Brorman Jensen and Kristoffer Lindhardt Weiss will be working together to create a dynamic universe that exhibits the diversity of innovative thinking and architectural development of new Danish humanistic architecture. With Boris Brorman Jensen and Kristoffer Lindhardt Weiss spearheading the Danish contribution to the Architecture Biennale in 2016, we can expect fresh insights into how new Danish architecture has been influenced by critics of the modernist approach, with Jan Gehl as the standard bearer, as well as a stunning snapshot of contemporary Danish architecture - at home and out in the world," says Kent Martinussen, CEO, Danish Architecture Centre. 

REPORTING FROM THE FRONT- QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH ARCHITECTURE
The theme has been chosen by the main curator of the Architecture Biennale, Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena. With the title "Reporting from the Front", Alejandro Aravena sets the stage for an exhibition that explores the role of the architect in the "struggle to improve people's quality of life all over the world".

"There is broad consensus among architects that architecture should serve the people. However, there is not much agreement on how, when and by what means humanistic architecture should be created. We want to present a dynamic snapshot of Danish architecture and urban planning, but we also intend to dig deeper. It is our ambition to explore, dissect and discuss some of the paradoxes and conflicts that come with a new humanism in contemporary architecture," explain Boris Brorman Jensen and Kristoffer Lindhardt Weiss.
Danish architects and urban planners will be invited to contribute with prototypes demonstrating their current efforts to create a humanistic architecture that influences people's behaviour and promotes a sense of community.