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.
This week David and Marina of FAME Architects are joined by Architect Dorte Mandrup, founder and creative director of Dorte Mandrup Architecture to discuss her background in sculpture and medical school before transitioning into architecture; starting an office and the challenges of doing so today; winning projects through architecture competitions; design process; the architecture and design scene in Copenhagen; the influence architects have on cities; and more.
Highlights and Timestamps
Background and why architecture? (00:00)
The deeper you get into architecture, the more you know that you don’t know and the more you want to learn. I think it’s an amazing field and it’s all-consuming. In that sense, it’s wonderful. (10:43)
Architectural education in Denmark and Dorte’s early career. (12:35)
Different architectural styles and influences on Dorte's work. (22:29)
The way we approach an assignment… It has very much to do with a mixture of intuition and a kind of sensitivity and interest in materiality. Then, on the other hand, a very thorough analysis of the site which is both a formal analysis but also an understanding of what are the premises here… We do spend a lot of time trying to understand where we are, so that’s in a way the basis of the design process. When you have this kind of basic knowledge or basis, then we start to work more intuitively because that’s, to me, I think the most important. (32:53)
Starting an office. (36:56)
This is not to sound arrogant… it’s just that when you are an architect, and I know that sometimes you don't have a choice, you need to take on projects that might not be all that interesting, but there is a possibility to say no. And I think that's a very egoistic and very personal thing. Your life is short and architecture is a long-term thing so when you work two years on a project that's not really satisfying, it's two years of your life. (53:04)
Architecture competitions. (55:55)
The architecture and design scene in Copenhagen. (01:11:43)
About Dorte Mandrup Architecture. (01:30:19)
In architecture school, we talk very much about the creative part of being an architect. But there are so many different positions that you can take being an architect. A Project Manager usually doesn't do any drawings anymore but it's such an important part of pushing a project. There are so many positions you can take. You don't have to be a wonderfully talented designer to be a really important part of an office… They can't all be designers and I don't think they should be. There are so many skills that are needed and in that sense, it's great to find your place in this machine or in this space of architecture. (01:37:25)
Leading an architecture office. (01:40:12)
Interests outside of architecture. (01:44:06)
