The OMA-designed BLOX building, perched on the Copenhagen harbor, is the center of architecture and design, encouraging interdisciplinary thinking and cooperation to open the door to a more sustainable future. Nestled among four prominent institutions, BLOXHUB, Danish Architecture Center, DDC - Danish Design Center, and Creative Denmark, BLOX has developed into a flourishing "cross-disciplinary ecosystem" that welcomes more than 250,000 visitors annually and accommodates approximately 1,000 professionals with workspace. This piece explores BLOX's distinctive collaborative culture and how it supports environmentally friendly building and design methods.
A Cross-Disciplinary Ecosystem
The fundamental strength of BLOX is its capacity to unite disparate organizations under one roof, fostering a collaborative atmosphere targeted at tackling the complexity of today's world. Majken Kalhave, Executive Director at Creative Denmark, emphasizes the importance of closer collaboration across sectors, competencies, and borders, echoing the sentiment that a shared sustainability agenda must be translated into actionable practices. BLOX is a physical manifestation of this collaboration, aligning with the ideals discussed at the recent UIA World Congress of Architects hosted in Copenhagen.
With BLOXHUB, Danish Architecture Center, DDC - Danish Design Center, and Creative Denmark coexisting within the same space, the building represents a hub where professionals from various disciplines converge in the built environment and creative industries. The shared goal is to encourage dialogue and exchange information essential for creating innovative solutions in an increasingly intricate world.
Organizations and Their Sustainable Initiatives
BLOXHUB, one of the key organizations at BLOX, focuses on sustainable urbanization. DDC - Danish Design Center strives to achieve sustainable growth through design, while Creative Denmark sheds light on the contributions of creative industries in the country. Danish Architecture Center, as an international destination, offers tours and exhibitions, contributing to the dissemination of architectural knowledge globally. These four organizations collectively participate in the EU-supported Desire project, which seeks to transform European neighborhoods by addressing challenges such as citizen involvement, climate resilience, and biodiversity prioritization.
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BLOXHUB CEO Torben Klitgaard highlights the significance of the Desire project, showcasing how these organizations' combined skill sets can simultaneously address multiple challenges. This collaborative effort reflects the shared commitment to positively impacting the built environment.
Engaging the Public in Discussions
Beyond professional collaboration, BLOX actively involves the public in discussions concerning the future of cities. Over a quarter of a million people annually are exposed to the progressive dialogues unfolding within the building through talks, exhibitions, workshops, and tours. Klitgaard emphasizes that citizens are primary stakeholders in the building process, underscoring BLOX's commitment to reflecting the public's interests.
An exemplar of this commitment is the Danish Architecture Center's exhibition, "Copenhagen in Common," which explored the history and future of the city's buildings and landscapes. The exhibition engaged visitors by showcasing Copenhagen's best and worst architectural practices. Building on this approach, the upcoming Aware exhibition, created in collaboration with Danish architecture practice 3XN, will delve into architecture's physical and mental impact on people, aligning with BLOX's ethos of encouraging visitors to drive systemic change.
A Mini-City Designed for Sustainability
The BLOX building, created by the well-known Dutch studio OMA, opened in 2018. Serving as a "mini-city," it includes apartments, four organizations devoted to sustainability, and a co-working space. The architectural layout, featuring stacked green-glazed blocks arranged around a central road, embodies the building's commitment to sustainability and innovation.
BLOX Copenhagen is proof of the revolutionary potential of teamwork in design and architecture. BLOX unites various organizations under one roof and is a focal point for interdisciplinary discourse, promoting creativity and environmentally friendly practices. BLOX leads the way in bringing about positive changes in the built environment and moving us closer to a more sustainable and connected future by emphasizing public engagement and tackling current issues.
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