Being an architect in Denmark (Part 1) — A country where everything is decided in "meetings"

Mitsuyo Saito (Representative of Architectural Design Office PLAN)

Source: Reconstructed from "Special Feature: Overseas Work Techniques" in the April 2017 issue of "Architectural Journal"

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What image comes to mind when you hear that I work in architecture in Denmark? You might think of Scandinavian design, simple and sophisticated houses... But when you actually stand on the site, you'll find that the "way of working" is quite different from Japan. Today, I'd like to talk about the reality of construction sites in Denmark based on my own experience.

A country where everything is decided in "meetings"

In Denmark, the client, structural design office, and architectural design office often gather around one table and hold meetings. They make decisions on the spot. I find this to be very rational.

There are also strong allies on the administrative side. There are traditionally specialized staff members who can properly judge the landscape, and sometimes they even help with finding land.

On the other hand, general contractors do not interfere with the architectural design. Instead, the last 10% of the design fee is only paid after an inspection one year after completion. In other words, for a year after completion, it's as if you're constantly being asked, "Was this design really okay?" It's a system that makes you feel the weight of responsibility every day.

Incidentally, medical expenses are free even for foreigners. I feel that the high level of public interest and the ease of living are also major attractions of this country.

From the site -- Roskilde Printing Plant

The first thing I'd like to introduce is a single-story building (total floor area approximately 1,201 m²) for a printing and machinery tool import company that I worked on in 1989. It was a slightly unusual project in which two companies with different characteristics were housed together.

We also challenged ourselves with a construction method that was unprecedented in Denmark at the time: manufacturing "PC panels with embedded tiles" in a factory and assembling them on-site.

At that time in Denmark, home parties held at people's homes were very popular among the wealthy, around 45 to 50 years old. A man who had decided he wanted to build a building himself contacted me through an acquaintance, and that's how this story began.

The construction site was in a charming old town close to Roskilde Cathedral. The city hall had an official responsible for the landscape, and together with the client's consultant, the three parties—the designer, the local government, and the client—had thorough discussions from an early stage.

The project leader visited the site about once a week, and even after construction began, everyone met every week to check on the progress. Decisions were made on the spot—the general standard pace was three months for basic design, three months for detailed design, and ten months for construction.

Next time, we will tell you the story of "The Ark," a cooperative housing project nurtured by the residents themselves.

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Author Profile: Born in Tokyo. Graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Architecture (obtained a Danish first-class architect license). First-class architect, graduated from Sophia University's Faculty of Foreign Studies, and graduated from the University of Tokyo. After working at Utzon Architects and other firms, opened the design office PLAN in Denmark in 1988. Opened the Tokyo office in 2008.