YES IS MORE; CLOSE UP: BIG – BJARKE INGELS GROUP

CLOSE UP: BIG – BJARKE INGELS GROUP In recent years, Danish architects have impressively renewed and expanded architectonic language. By staging the exhibition, 'YES IS MORE', the Danish Architecture Centre (DAC) zooms in on one of Danish architecture's most successful and innovative architectural companies, BIG – BJARKE INGELS GROUP. This exhibition forms part of a pilot project called 'Close up', which through exhibitions, debates, seminars and teaching sessions takes a long, hard look at new tendencies, theories and challenges within Danish architecture. 'Playful', 'controversial', 'cheeky', 'innovative' and 'provocative' are just some of the terms used to describe BIG. Headed by Bjarke Ingels, this architectural company has in the space of a few years created prize-winning projects, a long list of innovative buildings and an international reputation, as well as taking an active part in current debates in society. Starting out from a vision aiming to free architecture from tired clichés, choosing instead to see modern life as an inspiring challenge, BIG has made a major contribution to the renewal of the Danish architectural tradition. CARTOON UNIVERSE Within a cartoon universe, the public is invited to embark on a journey of discovery in BIG's urban conglomeration architecture, following their ideas from the drawing board to the finished building. Models of Danish and international projects will form the heart of the exhibition, lit up like a major city in the night. The DAC exhibition is BIG's first solo exhibition on Denmark. BIG is one of a number of Danish architectural companies striving through striking, ground-breaking concepts to create a kind of holistic architecture quite out of the ordinary. In recent years, building construction in Denmark has been like a river in flood. Danish architects have experimented, expanded and developed their potentialities; and Danish architecture has taken great strides in terms of design and visual form language, new technologies, new skills, professionalisation, internationalisation and sustainability – to such an extent that Danish architects have in so many ways radically renewed and expanded the Danish/Scandinavian architectural tradition. SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES Concurrently with the exhibition, DAC is organising seminars, workshops and lectures that will explore and debate both the developments and breakthroughs of recent years and the challenges and opportunities of the future. Teetering as we are on the brink of a financial meltdown, the obvious question is: how can Danish architectural companies continue to be successful, carrying their experience and huge potential further onwards in this 21st century? http://english.dac.dk/visArtikel.uk.asp?artikelID=4737