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Let's Talk Architecture

Danish Architecture Center – DAC

Join the Danish Architecture Center as we chat with some of the world's leading architects, designers, planners, and engineers about their work and ideas. Let's Talk Architecture introduces you to the creative and innovative minds behind the future of our buildings and cities. Let's Talk Architecture introduces you to the creative and innovative minds behind the future of our buildings and cities. Get to know the creative and innovative minds that shapes Danish architecture.

Author and journalist, Michael Booth, is not an architect, but he is curious about cities, and how they are built. In this podcast he ventures out into the city with architects, planners, and urban developers, while he asks them about the agendas, that shapes their projects and our built environment. They talk about everything from the aesthetics of the climate change, modernist masterpieces, extensive retail planning, rethinking of materials, sensuous architecture, transformation of existing buildings, the shaping of new architects, and much much more.

Generous funding is provided by Realdania and the Danish Industry Foundation. Learn more at dac.dk/en/podcast

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22 episodes
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Avg 31 min
English

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Today · 31 min
Creating a Balanced Mobility Diet for Copenhagen
Copenhagen continues to build and expand, and the next stage will be the development of Refshaleøen, a former military base and industrial zone on the harbourfront across from the Little Mermaid statue. But what will the mobility mix look like when the district is completed in a couple of decades' time? Copenhagen is world famous for its cycle culture, but the Danes are buying more cars than ever, and driving them more kilometres too. Meanwhile, the Metro link looks like it will come after the majority of new residents have moved in, which isn't ideal… One of the organisations hoping to be involved in planning the transport for the Danish capital in the future is Beta Mobility. We meet with its co-founder, architect Robert Martin, to hear how he sees the city's transport mix of the future and take a trip to Refhaleøen to hear how he would like things to shape up as the Danish capital moves into the second half of the century. Guest: Rober Martin, co-founder Beta Mobilty Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
August 27 · 30 min
A Renaissance Icon Rises from the Ashes
When Børsen caught fire on 16 April 2024, Denmark lost one of its most iconic landmarks. In this episode, we visit the historic building during its reconstruction and speak with Mette Tony, co-founder of Praksis Architects, about the challenges of rebuilding an important piece of Danish cultural heritage. How do you restore a building with 400 years of history, and which version of Børsen should rise from the ashes? Guest: Mette Tony, co-founder Praksis Architects Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
July 30 · 31 min
Architecture Through a Social Lens
Visit most of the major architecture firms in Copenhagen and you might be forgiven for thinking the industry is more diverse than most, but as we learn in this episode, things aren't always what they seem. Christine Bjerke is an architect and the co-founder of Building Diversity, a volunteer-run organisation which focuses on inclusivity and aims to enhance diversity within the built environment. We've touched on this a few times over the years in episodes of Let's Talk Architecture, looking at how to include a wider range of people in the consultancy process, how to open up the industry to a broader spectrum of people, or how to make buildings and spaces more accessible, both physically and just more approachable. But Building Diversity is tackling all of this head on. Join us as we visit one of Copenhagen's most prominent public spaces to see it through Christine's eye Guest: Christine Bjerke, Founder, Architect and Co-founder of Building Diversity Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
June 25 · 31 min
Bioregional architecture - building from the materials which surround us
The Hedeskov Living Lab in Djursland, on the Jutland Peninsula, points towards a potential paradigm shift in sustainable architecture. In this episode, we meet architect Justine Bell from Djernes & Bell, who tells the story of transforming a former school into a centre for education, research and experimentation with regenerative building practices. The project has been created using locally sourced raw and reclaimed materials, including clay, sand, bulrushes and horse manure. This approach is described by some as bioregional architecture. Much like the farm-to-table movement, it is rooted in local resources, materials, skills and craft traditions. The ambition is not only to reduce the environmental impact of construction, but also to create architecture that tells a powerful story about its place and the landscape from which it emerges. At the same time, the project points towards a more regenerative approach to building, where architecture not only minimises its footprint, but actively contributes to nature, biodiversity and local communities. And it certainly does not hurt that Hedeskov Living Lab is also an extraordinarily beautiful place. Guest: Justine Bell, Founder, Djernes & Bell Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
May 27 · 30 min
Why Architects Love Dinesen Floors
You find Dinesen wood floors in museums, flagship stores, restaurants, galleries and historic buildings around the world. But what is it about these extraordinary timber planks that architects love so much? In this episode, host Michael Booth visits the 128-year-old family company in southern Jutland to explore how Dinesen has become one of architecture's most trusted material partners. Together with creative director Hans Peter Dinesen, the conversation dives into craftsmanship, quality, the relationship between architects and materials, and why some of the world's leading designers keep returning to Dinesen floors. The episode also visits Orbi, an experimental summer gathering where architecture students, artists and makers come together in the Danish countryside to work with wood, share ideas and rethink the connection between craft, architecture and landscape. Guest: Hans Peter Dinesen, Creative Director, Dinesen Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
April 30 · 33 min
Reframing the Periphery
What happens when a national art museum moves beyond the capital, and into a small coastal village? In this episode, host Michael Booth meets architect Reiulf Ramstad to explore SMK Thy, a new branch of the Danish National Gallery set by the Limfjord. Reusing materials, preserving existing structures and working closely with the landscape, the project becomes more than a museum, it's a meeting place for art, nature and community. From a jar of local honey that sparked the competition idea to the ambition of reusing everything on site, the conversation reveals an architecture rooted in place, and a new way of thinking about centre and periphery. Guest: Reiulf Ramstad, Founding Partner, Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter Host: Michael Booth, DAC Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
March 26 · 28 min
Using Nature to Recharge Infrastructure?
EV charging stations are usually places to pass through, not places to stay. But what if they could become green, restorative spaces instead? In this episode, host Michael Booth talks with architect Louise Flach de Neergaard from Cobe about a new generation of charging stations designed for Clever. Using timber canopies, native planting and nature-based design, the project rethinks infrastructure as a place for pause, biodiversity and everyday wellbeing. The conversation explores how architecture can transform enforced waiting time into a meaningful break, and how even the most technical infrastructure can contribute positively to landscape, climate and quality of life. Guest: Louise Flach de Neergaard, Architect, Cobe Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
February 26 · 28 min
Using nature to turn billion Euro flooding into life quality bonus
Catastrophic cloudbursts are already reshaping Copenhagen. Instead of hiding the problem underground in massive pipes, what if rainwater could be used to improve everyday life in the city? In this episode, host Michael Booth meets Mette Skjold, CEO and senior partner at landscape architecture studio SLA, to explore the transformation of Bispeparken, a former stretch of anonymous lawn turned into a nature-based climate adaptation project. Designed to manage extreme rainfall, the park uses bioswales, terrain and planting to slow and store water, while creating new spaces for play, rest and community life. The conversation shows how landscape architecture can turn billion-euro flooding risks into a quality-of-life bonus, and why starting with nature may be the key to building more resilient, liveable cities. Guest: Mette Skjold, CEO & Senior Partner, SLA Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
January 29 · 30 min
BLOX Unpacked
When BLOX opened in 2018, it divided opinion. Designed by OMA as the home of the Danish Architecture Center, the building was unlike anything Copenhagen had seen before, bold, complex and unapologetically different. In this episode, host Michael Booth is joined by DAC CEO Kent Martinussen for a guided tour of BLOX, as the centre prepares an anniversary exhibition marking 40 years of DAC. Together they unpack the story behind the building: the unusual architect selection process, Rem Koolhaas' vision of architecture as urban infrastructure, and the idea of BLOX as a city within a city. Moving from harbour-level plazas to dramatic interior spaces and rooftop terraces, the conversation explores how BLOX has evolved from controversy to everyday use, a flexible, lived-in building where culture, work and city life intersect. Guest: Kent Martinussen, CEO, Danish Architecture Center Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
Dec 25, 2025 · 31 min
Can Architecture Heal Us?
Timber instead of tiles, curiosity instead of corridors, and a 15-metre-high atrium designed to make people feel safer, healthier and more connected. Copenhagen's Centre for Health proposes a new typology for public healthcare architecture. In this episode, Michael Booth meets architect Dorte Mandrup, widely regarded as one of Denmark's greatest living architects, to explore how a complex and often contradictory brief — openness and privacy, care and community — was translated into a warm, tactile and quietly radical public building. Together they discuss the centre's boomerang-shaped footprint, full timber construction and soaring atrium, and how architecture can gently nudge behaviour, foster wellbeing and create spaces that feel inclusive without feeling exposed. Guest: Dorte Mandrup, Arkitekt, Dorte Mandrup A/S Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
Nov 27, 2025 · 32 min
Building a Mega-Museum
Eighteen years, a 14-metre-deep crater, a rebuilt brick façade, and a glass dome set to redefine Copenhagen's skyline Denmark's new Natural History Museum is almost ready. In this episode, Michael Booth meets architect Claus Pryds, who was barely out of architecture school when he unexpectedly won the competition for the country's next great museum. What followed was a marathon of design, engineering and sheer perseverance that stretched across nearly two decades. Michael and Claus dive into the wild story behind the museum: the setbacks, the breakthroughs, the impossible holes in the ground — and the thrill of watching a once-in-a-lifetime project finally rise to the surface. Opening in 2027, the museum will feature new worlds dedicated to Danish nature and Greenland and rumoured to have everything from dinosaurs to a Blue Whale skeleton. Guest: Claus Pryds Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
Oct 29, 2025 · 32 min
Why biodiversity Matters and how to get more
Can architecture help us create a future where both humans and nature can thrive? And is it possible to truly strengthen biodiversity in big cities – or are we just creating small, isolated pockets of green? In this episode, Michael Booth meets ecologist, biodiversity developer and founder of Oiko, Kristine Kjørup Rasmussen. Together they explore Copenhagen's Nordhavn district – from concrete cityscapes to wild wastelands – to see how biodiversity can be measured, protected, and even enhanced in the midst of urban development. Guest: Kristine Kjørup Rasmussen, ecologist and founder of Oiko Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
Sep 25, 2025 · 27 min
How to build a megaproject: The Fermern Belt Link
What defines a megaproject? And why do they so often go over both budget and schedule? Denmark has earned a reputation for successfully completing large-scale construction projects – whether they are bridges, tunnels, land reclamation or offshore wind farms. The latest Danish megaproject is the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, a record-breaking 18-kilometer tunnel currently being placed on the seabed from the island of Lolland to Northern Germany. In this episode, Michael Booth joins Professor Christian Langhoff Thuesen of Denmark's Technical University on a visit to the construction site of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link. Together they explore the impressive scale of the project and discuss the future of megaprojects in light of growing sustainability demands. Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
Aug 28, 2025 · 33 min
Can design strengthen community?
Right now, 150 new community spaces are being built across Denmark – primarily using recycled materials – as part of an extraordinary project called Vores Sted (Our Place). Funded by the Danish philanthropic association Realdania, the project aims to reinvent the community gathering place for the 21st century. The community spaces, designed as four distinct types of pavilions, are the result of a collaboration between Danish architectural firms ReVærk, Cobe, Archival Studies, pihlmann architects, Rumgehør og Studio XYZ. In this episode our host Michael Booth, takes a trip to the southern Jutland town of Tønder with ReVærk's founding partner, Simeon Østerlund Bamford, to visit one of the new pavilions - and to discover the surprising source of the materials used to build it. Guest: Simeon Østerlund Bamford, Partner ReVærk Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
Jul 31, 2025 · 29 min
Designing for presence in a digital age
Has presence become a luxury in the digital age? And do we lose contact with the world around us when so much of our lives unfold in front of a screen? In this episode of Let's Talk Architecture host Michael Booth meets Nikoline Dyrup, architect and founding partner of Danish architecture and design studio, Spacon. Together they visit the studio's newly opened exhibition at DAC, Meet Me Here, for a conversation about how design and architecture can shape the ways we connect. Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
Jun 26, 2025 · 38 min
BIG HQ: When architects design for themselves
Bjarke Ingels Group – BIG – is one of Denmark's most internationally acclaimed architecture studios, with high-profile projects across the globe. Not long ago, the firm moved into its own seven-story raw concrete-and-glass headquarters, prominently located on the harbour in Copenhagen's Nordhavn district. But what happens when a firm like BIG gets the chance to design its own headquarters? What role did sustainability play in the process, and what can the new BIG HQ tell us about the company behind the name? Join us as founder of BIG, Bjarke Ingels, invites host Michael Booth on an exclusive tour of BIG HQ and shares the thinking behind the building's design – and what it's like to be both architect and client. Let's Talk Architecture is a Danish Architecture Center podcast. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
May 29, 2025 · 32 min
Make Odense great again
If you want to see the impact that bold, brave, progressive urban planning can have on a city, go visit Odense, Denmark's third largest city. Odense has gone from being a city divided into halves by a four-lane main road, to one built on a human scale which is ready for the challenges of the 21st century. But how have they banished cars, how did the locals react, and what role has culture played in the transformation of Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace? These are some of the questions host Michael Booth asks in this episode, as he visits the city with Marianne Tonim Nielsen, an architect who has worked in the municipality there for 29 years and has closely followed the development of Odense. Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
May 12, 2025 · 32 min
A New Park is Born
It's not every day a new park opens in the centre of a capital city, and this one is extra special. Copenhagen's new Opera Park is not just a nice place to relax in the shadow of the opera house. It represents a radical departure from the type of parks found elsewhere in the city: this harbourfront garden is a place for the contemplation of nature, of trees and plants from around the world, of water, and of sky. It's blessedly free from programming - there are no cycle paths, no running tracks, no outdoor gyms and no playgrounds. For this episode we are lucky enough to be joined by its designer, Maj Wiwe, landscape director at Cobe. She explains the original idea behind the park, but also the extraordinary technical challenges involved in constructing a mature garden with 10 metre-high trees and a cafe. On top of a multi-storey car park. Which is buried underground. On reclaimed land. In the harbour. You see what we mean by challenges?
Mar 31, 2025 · 33 min
How to make renovation the new norm
What will it take to break the harmful cycle of demolition and new construction, when it's still cheaper to build from scratch than to transform our existing buildings? HouseEurope! is a European Citizen Initiative, aimed at making renovation the new norm in Europe. If the initiative can gather a million signatures, they can force a debate in the European Parliament and bring transformation and renovation to the top of the agenda. Enlai Hooi, Head of Innovation at Schmidt Hammer Lassen, is one of the Danish national organising members of HouseEurope. In this episode he explains why he has become such a strong advocate for adapting and transforming existing buildings - even the ones no one likes. Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
Feb 26, 2025 · 32 min
New policy, better cities?
What role does architecture policy play in shaping our cities and everyday lives? With a white paper on the future of architecture and planning in Denmark about to be published, we explore how policy can address major challenges—from climate change to urban revitalization. Join host Michael Booth as he speaks with Kent Martinussen, CEO of Danish Architecture Center and a member of the expert committee tasked by the Ministry of Culture with drafting the policy, and Jesper Pagh, Chief Architect of Horsens Municipality, about the past, present, and future of architecture as a tool for societal change. Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.

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