Interview with head of institute David Garcia of Architecture and Technology

Starting the school year 2014 KADK is organized in a new structure consisting of 7 new institutes. We have interviewed the 7 new heads of institute of the School of Architecture, School of Design and the School of Conservation as well as rector. David Garcia is head of the institute Architecture and Technology.

1. What is special about your institute?
We have a special relation to technology and to how it can enrich society in
critical interplay with architecture. We open new doors to knowledge and fi nd
new solutions to national and global challenges, e.g. climate change, energy
effi ciency measures and much more. We maintain a constant dialogue with
other relevant players – from leading international research platforms to
material developers, from NASA to the Technical University of Denmark.

2. What characterises the students at your institute?
They want to have their say in the debate about how architecture relates to
technology. They are eager to create. They ask critical questions and gain
access to a network of knowledge that they can use every day. They become
familiar with technological solutions that can open up to new aesthetics and
a new understanding of the concept of space.

3. Which role does your institute play in Danish art and culture?
Technology must also be owned by architects, and with this institute, we show
what an amazing fi eld technology is when you collaborate with experts. The
synergy between architecture, science and technology means that we can
come up with solutions that will benefi t Danish society.

4. Which work/product or place do you associate with the institute?
The University of Svalbard (UNIS), which was built with an understanding of
the context – an Arctic climate with permafrost and snow accumulation. The
building works with nature and the surrounding city, and it was created in
close dialogue with biologists, botanists and glaciologists, with the use of
digital simulation tools. It was designed with nature, not against it.