Interview with head of institute Mathilde Aggebo of Architecture and Design

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. Mathilde Aggebo is head of the institute Architecture and Design.

1. What is special about your institute?
We are in-between two subjects and two schools – architecture and design.
We enhance the academic specialisations and make the two degree
programmes meet in a cross-disciplinary teaching environment. We are a
crossfi eld between two historically very different subjects – a crossfi eld that
contains a great potential for developing new thoughts and methods.

2. What characterises the students at your institute?
They are interested in their surroundings and want to challenge the way in
which we live and create homes. They want to take the lead and are not afraid
of getting involved and working hard. With materials, phenomena and methods.
They choose the institute because they want to design the settings for
our society. Our homes. Our lives.

3. Which role does your institute play in Danish art and culture?
Our job is to break down conventional ideas about differences between design
and architecture and what the subjects can achieve together – in the immediate
scale, in the large scale and in the whole. It is about rethinking interior design,
inventing furniture made of decomposable materials, or building schools
that fi t the pedagogics that will be applied in 50 years' time.

4. Which work/product or place do you associate with the institute?
Herlev Hospital. This is a building project with a very clear global perspective.
From detail to whole, Herlev Hospital is designed to meet people at eye level
and to take care of us. Art plays an active role here.