NIKOLAI RICHTER-FRIIS from the office LYNDGAARD & TRANBERG
19.05.2010
Within the framework of the events FΑR NORTHERN REFRACTIONS OF EUROPEAN ARCHITECTURE
In collaboration with the Embassy of Denmark
The series of events titled “FAR NORTHERN REFRACTIONS OF EUROPEAN ARCHITECTURE” offered a significant opportunity to present the contemporary architectural trends of the Northern European countries in Greece and to explore the differences between countries that, at first glance, seem to be governed by a timeless homogeneity. This perceived uniformity is often attributed to similarities in natural environment, political and social conditions, standard of living, and locally available building materials. On behalf of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture, I would like to sincerely thank the Embassies and Institutes of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland for their valuable cooperation, as well as Professor Andreas Giakoumakatos, who conceived the idea for these events and took overall responsibility for their execution. Finally, I extend my thanks to the staff of the HIA and its director Marianna Milioni for the excellent organization and for overseeing the publication that accompanies the lectures and exhibitions.
Kalogeras, Emeritus Professor, National Technical University of Athens
President of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture
Widely known as Lundgaard & Tranberg, they are emblematic representatives of Scandinavian and broader international architectural avant-garde, with outstanding achievements in architecture, urban planning, environmental design, as well as furniture and industrial product design.
Founded in 1984, the office currently employs around 40 people. Lundgaard & Tranberg often develop experimental studies with particular emphasis on bioclimatic design, especially in the field of collective housing. Their architecture also teaches us much about the ways construction can relate to the element of water. They have repeatedly won international architectural competitions, notably receiving the RIBA European Award three years in a row (2006-2008) for the Copenhagen Business School building, the Tietgen dormitories, and the New Royal Danish Theatre. They were also awarded for the new wing of the West Zeeland Art Museum, proposing a building that represents a modern reinterpretation of the traditional stone architecture of the region.