Creative Danish architecture
Architecture has always been a part of the Danish design scene; in fact, it was once common for an architect to not only design buildings but everything inside, including furniture, textiles, and cutlery for the restaurant. Anton Rosen (1959-1928) did this for the Palads Hotel on Copenhagen City Hall Square in 1909, and in 1960 Arne Jacobsen did the same for the SAS Hotel near Copenhagen Main Railway Terminal.
Probably the best known Danish-designed building is the Sydney Opera House (1973) in Sydney, Australia, a pioneering structure based on concrete shells by architect Jorn Utzon (1918-2008). Although the construction process was troubled, Utzon was able to see the building named a World Heritage Site in 2005 while he was still alive, a rare honour.
Among the current group of Danish architects, Bjarke Ingels and his BIG Group are known for their witty, unconventional approach to building, such as Amager Bakke, a waste-burning station with a year-round artificial ski slope on top. The “new city” of Ørestad near Copenhagen features creative and sustainable buildings by a number of Danish architects, including BIG, Henning Larsen, and 3XN.
