"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.
From Greenland's landscapes to the urban environment of Copenhagen and the model workshop of Dorte Mnasdrup Arktekter, Louisiana Channel's latest film is a journey through space and time building to an extensive exploration of Mandrup's work and design process. Throughout the various interviews, the architect talks about her admiration for the work of Henning Larsen, as well as the challenges of pushing for architectural quality when the profession is perceived less in terms of added social value and more as a judge of style. At the same time, Mandrup details her interest in adaptive reuse and design of children spaces while she expresses her view of architecture as a sensory experience and a means of communication.
"I think it took me a long time to realize that the knowledge you have that isn't articulated with words is as important as the written or spoken argument. There is a path to us, a form of communication that doesn't involve words. So acknowledging that there exists a different kind of knowledge and a different argument was a huge relief to me." -Dorte Mandrup
Dorte Mandrup founded the eponymous practice in 1999, and the Copenhagen-based studio is now known for creating contextually relevant spaces that foster social interaction across multiple scales and programs. Mandrup is the recipient of numerous accolades, having been named Architect of the Year at ICONIC Awards 2021, Chairwoman of Mies van der Rohe Award in 2019 and a Member of the RIBA Honours Committee in 2021.
To see more architecture videos, check ArchDaily's full coverage of Louisiana Channel's series of interviews.
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