UIA 2023 will host experimental pavilions that build towards a sustainable future

The 28^th UIA World Congress of Architects in Copenhagen, scheduled to take place from July 2 to 6, 2023, aims at exploring the building industry’s contributions in achieving UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The city of Copenhagen has been designated as the World Capital of Architecture for 2023 by UNESCO and UIA and the Congress will be a significant event in the city's calendar, attracting more than 10,000 participants. As a part of this, several architecture pavilions are being constructed across the city, serving as signature projects for the World Capital of Architecture.

Keeping with the theme of the UIA World Congress, Sustainable Futures - Leave No One Behind, the pavilions are designed to be accessible to all visitors. With its focus on sustainability, the Congress will explore architecture's potential to help achieve the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Each pavilion results from a collaboration between architects, engineers, material producers, science institutions, associations, and foundations, all working towards addressing the right questions to build a sustainable future. These explorative constructions will relate to one or more of the UN's 17 SDGs and will be located in selected locations across Copenhagen, including the city's iconic harbour area.

"We experience an enormous drive among architects and the rest of the building industry to contribute with new and more sustainable materials, construction methods, housing concepts, etc, and there is a need for us to provide space for experimentation. Together with the city of Copenhagen and CPH City and Port Development, we have therefore made an open invitation to the industry to present their visions for how we can contribute to sustainable development. And especially this year, we have a unique opportunity to show and discuss solutions for the future with professionals and other interested parties who have their eyes fixed on Denmark during the World Capital of Architecture and not least the UIA World Congress of Architects in July," says Lars Autrup, CEO at the Danish Association of Architects.

The SDG Pavilions in Copenhagen will be showcasing innovative ideas from Danish architecture studios—including Schmidt Hammer Lassen, EFFEKT, Architects Without Borders Denmark, ReVærk, LOKAL, Leth & Gori, Rønnow Architects, GXN, FORMA, Terroir, AART, Mangor & Nagel, NOAA Architects, Studio Coquille, Tan & Blixenkrone, ATENASTUDIO, and MAST—on building and living sustainably, focusing on reducing CO2 emissions and promoting environmentally-friendly practices. These explorative constructions explore communal spaces, materials, health, food, sanitation infrastructures, and climate change. The pavilions are designed to coincide with the World Congress and will feature various activities for the Congress guests and visitors through the summer, highlighting Copenhagen's status as the World Capital of Architecture in 2023.

Bio-Center by Architects Without Borders

Among the SDG Pavilions is Bio-Center, an Architects Without Borders pavilion made in partnership with the National Slum Dwellers Federation of Uganda, ACTogether Uganda, BLOX, Dreyers Foundation, and The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An interpretation of their actual development projects, the Bio-Center provides basic sanitary services in densely packed slums—while creating a social focal point. The project highlights how architecture can come up with solutions to reduce inequality in living standards worldwide.

The Greenhouse by FORMA

The temporary idea of a pavilion has been discarded to establish a permanent educational and innovation space The Greenhouse, by FORMA in partnership with Sara Martinsen, Banegaarden, and Rearc.Institute. The space is built around transforming 100-year-old propagation greenhouses from the Copenhagen Botanical Gardens. The lighthouse project aims at highlighting the potential of green, educational and regenerative spaces in the hearts of our cities, by creating a space that fosters reconnecting with nature.

Food Futures Imagined by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

Food Futures Imagined is an interactive, physical, and digital pavilion that showcases the content of a parallel publication entitled The Hacktivist's Guide to Food Security. A collaborative exhibition between Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Roskilde Festival, and BloxHub, it will investigate the interconnection between food systems and urban infrastructure, architecture, and policy, bringing to light the environmental consequences of these structures, while showcasing inventive methods of achieving food circularity in urban settings. The pavilion is produced from borrowed objects and post-use recycled consumer waste.

Living Places Copenhagen by EFFEKT

Living Places Copenhagen are the first seven prototypes showcasing the overall concept of Living Places, an initiative by the VELUX Group, EFFEKT Architects and Artelia engineers. The prototypes of the concept present how we can develop sustainable buildings with three times lower CO2 footprint and a first-class indoor climate. The pavilion design is anchored in five key principles—homes should be healthy, affordable, simple, shared over time and scalable—drawn from the initiative, and can be applied to new or existing buildings and communities. The stakeholders hope to reuse the pavilion either on-site or in other locations post the event.

Plastic Pavilion by Terroir

The central statement put forward by the Plastic Pavilion is 'plastic plays a huge role in establishing the sustainable societies' and has a potential role in establishing more sustainable societies. The pavilion is designed by Terroir, in partnership with The Danish Plastics Federation and supported by Primo, SP Group, EPS-branchen, VinylPlus, Plastmontøren and Nordiq-group, and is designed for disassembly and reuse, and will be used in other locations such as festivals and outdoor gatherings afterwards.

Bricks in Common by AART, Mangor & Nagel—part of AART and NOAA

With the Bricks in Common pavilion, AART, Mangor & Nagel—part of AART and NOAA explore what needs to be done to further sustainable development and the use of brick. The design unveils in the form of three cross arches, each of a different size, but all with approximately the same CO2 footprint. The smallest arch is made of a traditional, massive, and energy-heavy brick, while the middle arch makes use of the market’s current most climate-friendly, soft-laid brick. All materials selected for the pavilion design are chosen with consideration for disassembly and the materials will be returned to the manufacturers, to be reused in future projects.

From 4 to 1 Planet by ReVærk, Tegnestuen LOKAL, Leth & Gori, Rønnow Architects, BOGL

From 4 to 1 Planet is a series of three pavilions designed with the aim of highlighting ways of developing residential buildings with reduced climate impact, at a fourth of the current level. Presented by five architectural firms along with several engineering and research partners, it features alternative materials including rammed earth, and thatched brick blocks which combine conventional and biobased materials and construction methods that explore dual paths to CO2 reduction.

(P)RECAST by GXN

Presented by GXN, P)RECAST explores the potential of reusing precast concrete elements, a construction material that has dominated the Danish industry since the 1950s to challenge pre-held notions surrounding the material as unattractive to build new constructions, in sustainable, equitable urban developments, reducing resource consumption and helping Denmark meet its Paris Climate Agreement commitments.

THE RAFT by Studio Coquille, Tan & Blixenkrone

The Raft is designed as a direct and playful sensory experience on Copenhagen canal’s floating platforms, inspired by underwater sea creatures and the geometry of sailing boats, the design aims to capture the movement of water, coming alive through a colourful red roof, presenting itself as a living animal. Careful considerations are also placed in ensuring an inclusive and accessible platform design to welcome people with reduced mobilities and create a dialogue on inclusivity in design.

TOWER OF WIND by Anna Maria Indrio (Atenastudio), Henning Frederiksen, Christian Fogh, Simone Aaberg Kærn (artist)

Referencing the Greek 'The Tower of Wind' in Athens, described as the world’s first meteorological observation station, The Tower of Wind aims to be a monument celebrating sustainable architecture, in which the public can experience a journey through the history of meteorology and get an insight into how future technology can help combat climate challenges.

The Obel Awards (Unpavilion) by MAST

The Obel Awards (Unpavilion), designed by MAST in collaboration with Das Boot—Naval Engineers and Khrons Bådebyggeri, is a thought-provoking statement installation that focuses on highlighting the counterproductive nature of greenwashing and challenges our current and future use of resources, all while exposing the contradictory nature of the construction industry.

Reflections in Common by The City of Copenhagen, Urgent.Agency, Bevica Foundation, Standard Practice

Creating an immersive space where visitors can experience themselves, the city, and its nature from a new perspective, the Reflections in Common pavilion is designed with the support of BEVICA Foundation and in partnership with the Municipality of Copenhagen, Urgent Agency, Standard Practice and Grønne Hjem. The mirror cabinet in the pavilion highlights the importance of reflection and self-reflection in the creation of a more sustainable city development and allows people to look at themselves against the backdrop of the city. In its afterlife, all the elements of the pavilion will be reused and the plants will be planted around Copenhagen.

The SGD Pavilions aim to address a range of challenges related to social, economic, and environmental sustainability, reflecting the complex mix of goals and sub-goals outlined in the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The upcoming World Congress of Architecture will prioritise the responsible use of resources by promoting recycling, reassembling, and reusing pavilions from the exhibitions—showcasing how architecture can play a crucial role in building sustainable communities and creating a better future.