Destinations like ecological reserves, national parks, and historic sites rank among the most visited places worldwide. Motivated by different desires — from aesthetic appreciation to a longing for connection with nature — visitors are drawn to locations marked by historical importance, scenic beauty, or architectural significance. In this context, it becomes essential for the institutions responsible for preserving and managing these sites to adopt thoughtful mediation strategies — both in terms of communication and spatial design. One such strategy is the creation of visitor centers: architectural structures that not only receive guests but also educate and guide them. These buildings act as interfaces between the site and its audience, translating the ecological, historical, and cultural values of the place into architectural form.
Buildings are deeply interconnected with their surroundings—the climate, culture, landscape, and the lives of their occupants. For Dorte Mandrup, a renowned Danish architect, context is more than a mere consideration; it is the driving force behind her designs. Her work demonstrates a profound curiosity about the people who will inhabit her buildings and the unique stories embedded within each site. Her buildings aren't just structures; they're thoughtful responses to their surroundings, without aiming to disappear within them.
Dorte Mandrup is featured, alongside Tosin Oshinowo, in the second installment of the documentary Women in Architecture, released November 12, 2024. Produced by Sky-Frame in collaboration with ArchDaily and directed by Boris Noir, the film builds upon the first episode, which highlighted Toshiko Mori, Gabriela Carrillo, and Johanna Meyer-Grohbrügge, offering a continued exploration of diverse perspectives within architecture.
"We think we are diverse, and we think we have equality, but is that really the case?"
Highlighting the stories of female architecture shaping the built environment, the documentary "Women in Architecture", by Boris Noir returns for a second chapter. Initiated by Sky-Frame, in collaboration with ArchDaily, this installment of the docu-series delves into the stories of Dorte Mandrup and Tosin Oshinowo, drawing a parallelism between both of their lives and focusing on their distinct paths and challenges. Stay tuned for the online screening on November 12th at 7:30 am EST, 12:30 pm CET on ArchDaily.
According to the United Nations, indigenous people are "place-based" ethnic cultures that have not migrated from their initial homeland. In today's world, with human-caused climate change driving extreme weather events and a growing demand for authenticity and cultural diversity, architects are increasingly turning to indigenous knowledge systems not only as sources of inspiration but as viable solutions to adapt and respond to local and global challenges. As traditional custodians of the land, Indigenous communities possess a profound understanding of their ecosystems, locally available materials, cultural norms, and social constraints. This knowledge holds insights valuable for shaping contemporary architecture, helping it adapt to both the people and their environments.
Vernacular and indigenous practices are emerging as a foundation for architectural reimagining, informing spatial lays, the choice of materials, and building techniques while also allowing for the integration of innovation and contemporary expression. This careful blend of tradition and modernity can have a significant impact in terms of sustainability, as architects who adopt the indigenous approach to harnessing available resources can not only create structures rooted in their context but also minimize the ecological impact of the construction. Additionally, collaborating directly with Indigenous communities leads to projects that prioritize community participation, cultural sensitivity, and sustainable development.
Danish architecture studio Dorte Mandrup has just released the designs for its new project in the Arctic Region. Teaming up with high-end Norwegian adventure and outdoor brand Norrøna, the studio has designed a nature hotel. Situated in Northern Norway in Senja, Norway’s second-largest island, the hotel is surrounded by dramatic landscapes featuring steep mountains, beaches, valleys, and deep fjords.
Following an international competition, Dorte Mandrup has been selected to design the new Inuit Heritage Centre in the territory of Nunavut in northern Canada. Designed together with Architect of Record Guy Architects, LEES+Associates, Adjeleian Allen Rubeli, EXP, Pageau Morel, Altus Group, and indigenous consultants Kirt Ejesiak and Alexander Flaherty, the new centre aims to become a sign of cultural conciliation and a symbol of the continuation of Inuit practices, traditions and values. By offering a place where Inuit can reconnect with their collective past through objects, stories, and activities, the centre will promote greater awareness of Inuit culture. The project is expected to be completed by 2027.
The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.
A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
A new traveling exhibition by Danish architecture studio Dorte Mandrup opens at Aedes Architecture Forum in Berlin on 8 July 2022. The exhibition entitled PLACE delves into the strong interrelation between place and architecture and explores the role of the context ties in the quest for sustainable solutions for the future. In September, the exhibition will move to Le Bicolore – Maison du Danemark in Paris.
''A Building that Should Address our own Fragility'' says Dorte Mandrup in conversation with Louisiana Channel, in regards to her recent work, the Ilulissat Icefjord Center, in Greenland. An exhibition house in its own right, this powerful filmography explores the surrounding environment, offering insight into the changes seen on the ice and the harmonious relationship between the structure itself and the glacial landscape.
Dorte Mandrup was interviewed by Marc-Christopher Wagner in her studio in the Spring of 2021. Regarded as Humanist, Mandrup has been heavily influenced by medicine, sculpture and ceramics, creating engaging and evocative architectural form. As part of her philanthropic work the center is set to tell a narrative of evolution, human history and the secrets of the ice.
MAXXI Museum celebrates women in architecture in a new exhibition that documents the transformative role of female architects in the profession's evolution over the last century. Curated by Pippo Ciorra, Elena Motisi, Elena Tinacci, and with exhibition design by Matilde Cassani, Good News. Women in Architecture weaves together in four thematic sections the history of women in architecture, with the work of contemporary practitioners and the voices of young collectives, telling the stories of over eighty female architects.
København (Copenhagen), the capital of Denmark, is at the forefront of many landscape architects and planners’ minds for both its groundbreaking moves towards sustainability and cutting-edge public spaces, bicycle culture, architecture, and food scenes. Having spent a significant amount of time in the city over the last decade, I’ve had the opportunity to begin to get to know the city and its people. One of the striking things about the city, perceptible in even my time there, is its continued trajectory of improvement. A chorus of people working diligently for decades to optimize the city for the everyday lives of its inhabitants have been laying the groundwork for what is possible today.
https://www.archdaily.com/973247/learning-from-copenhagen-a-focus-on-everyday-lifeJohn Bela
"Architecture encompassed my interest in reality and societal issues," says architect Dorte Mandrup, in an extensive conversation with Louisiana Channel, in which the founder and creative director of Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter reflects on formative years and the values of her architecture practice. Four years in the making, the film takes viewers on a journey through Dorte Mandrup's architecture, with compelling footage telling the story of designs such as the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre, Jaegersborg Water tower, or Ama'r Children's Culture House. Through the portrait film, the architect touches on numerous topics such as sustainability and climate change, the relationship of the built environment with the landscape, and as well as the profession itself and its present transformations and challenges.
Nestled in the Arctic landscape of Greenland's UNESCO-protected wilderness, Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter has completed the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre, a research and visitor center that highlights the effects of climate change. The structure blends into the surrounding landscape, offering visitors a unique panorama of the Icefjord, while observing the detrimental consequences that climate change has on the environment.
Questioning the new now, especially with the new challenges of Covid-19, around the world, cities are advocating for structural change and collective action. Berlin questions, an annual, multi-day conference and a platform for transdisciplinary dialogue, in its 2021 edition “Metropolis: The New Now”, tackled the immediate present, creating a place for debate. Dedicated to local solutions to global challenges, the event took on a hybrid format, at various locations in Berlin and online, resembling the world we live in.
ArchDaily had the chance to meet up with the winner of the Iconic Awards 2021 in the Architects of the Year category Dorte Mandrup, architect, founder, and creative director of Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter at Berlin Questions, to discuss the firm’s latest project in the German capital, the Exile Museum and to reflect on her career and visions.
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.jpg?1652860800 "Danish Architecture Center Exhibition. Image © Laura Stamer")
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.jpg?1652861441 "Helen & Hard installation, Women in Architecture at DAC. Image © Laura Stamer")
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