Western Denmark

Hello again- I'm sorry this is coming so late (2 weeks later, in fact) but life has been very very busy since my short study tour (to Western Denmark) thanks to studio.  Ooooh architecture!

Anyway, DIS is designed specifically with study ABROAD in mind, and so our semester is set up to allow for 1 short study tour (with our core course), 1 long study tour (with our core course), and 2 weeks of travel break, where we can take part in DIS sponsored trips or go do our own thing.  Anyway, that adds up to almost 4 weeks of travel specifically planned into our curriculum.  Perfect.  So, the first study tour, the short one, is (pretty much for everyone... although, I heard of a few core courses that went elsewhere) to Western Denmark- specifically, Juttland (the peninsula) and Fyn (Funen in English... the island just to the left of Sjælland (Zealand, in English... that is, where Copenhagen is).  Each core course goes to see (unsurprisingly) things related to their field of study.  So, that meant I went out for 3 days and saw a LOT of architecture.  It was actually a very stressful 'vacation' because part of what we are required to do is sketch.  And I don't mean lazily or casually, or even relaxingly draw.  I mean speed sketching for accuracy and detail in a giant building, get sections, plans, elevations, perspectives, diagrams, etc etc ect- OH and don't forget to think about how you are laying out the page so there is some sort of organization to it.  You have 45 minutes- GO!  Not to be highly negative, but basically, you get to choose to SEE the building, SKETCH the building, or look at what's IN the building.  We went to a lot of art museums/galleries, and it came down to seeing the art or seeing the building.  Very sad, because typically (not always) they were both beautiful.  But, on the bright side, I think I have improved my drawing skills significantly, and my speed has probably quadrupled or more. 

Oh the places you'll go!

Ok, enough ranting.  (Although, now that you mention it- I'm very, very tired.  I have not slept much here.  But that's another story... mostly about studio, so you probably are not interested to hear it.)  Now down to business: the short study tour.  Essentially, I am going to briefly run down all of the stops we made, with one or two photos for each.  Like I said, if you want to know where these places are- go look it up yourself, you'll learn it better that way anyway.

1.) Orbæk Kirke, Orbæk, Fyn

Our first stop- a very, very traditional (and old!) church in a fairly small town.  Apparently, the sign of a church in Denmark is a stepped roofline.  Of course, new churches don't frequently do this, but being a few hundred years old, this was a good example of the style.  Apparently, however, it was not a static style, and traditional Danish churches typically underwent several constructions over the course of their lifetime- beginning with the basic nave (the long, tall part where people usually sit), then side entrances and spaces (usually making the building look like a cross in plan) as well as rooms for the priests, etc etc etc.  They are almost all white with a red tile roof, and- I learned this later, in Greve, but it's interesting anyway- the pulpet isn't at the front on axis as is typical of Latin or American churches.  The pulpet is off to the side in the middle of the congregation.  This means that people sit in front of and behind the priest while he gives his sermon.  Weird!  There were two things that I found especially nice about this church.  First of all, since Christianity was an imported religion (think of how far north this is!) the local peoples, who had their own sacred traditions, myths, and beliefs, interpreted the Bible and Christian ideals through the lens of their local worldview- aka, a world created by vikings, believing in Norse mythology, and having a very deep connection to the mystic and sacred forest.  The result of this is a very, very interesting translation of Christianity, which is apparent in the murals on the ceiling of the nave.  They include flowers, animals, the mother tree, and a really cool version of Jesus.  Secondly, the cemetery (and as I've learned, all traditional cemeteries in Denmark) was BEAUTIFUL!  I know, that is a strange thing to say, but trust me on this.  Each headstone got a little plot of land, differentiated by cute, short hedges, and then inside of the plot, there was room for personal decorations- flowers, vases, bushes, and even some ornamental trees!  So, it wasn't a field of stones, but a maze of intricate, person remembrances.  Some were very old, some very new, and you could always tell by the age of the plantings.  So cool.  I could have walked around and admired them for a long, long time,

Outside.  The stepped roof is the sign of a traditional Danish church.

The painted vaulted ceiling.  Now look very close to the center- this is Jesus. So completely cool.

2.) Fåborg Museum, Fåborg, Fyn

Quite obviously, a museum.  But specifically, an early century art museum, built by a man named (aptly) Fåborg.  He was good friends with a bunch of artists and sculptures, and he had a great deal of money. Unable to make it big elsewhere, they asked him to create a space to exhibit their work. And that he did.  It is designed in a very odd mish-mash of classical styles, using domes, vaults, arches, columns, long sight lines, level changes, and sudden turns.  It was sort of interesting to walk through, but also convoluted in a non-purposeful way.  The walls were especially interesting, because they were BRIGHT colors- bright blue, bright red, bright yellow, even black in a few places.  It was ostentatious in a minimalistic way.  I know that makes no sense, but it's hard to explain.  The art, in general however, was very beautiful, and the lighting qualities worked very well- particularly for the sculptures.  A few had very delicate lines which the direct light expressed quite nicely.  Post museum visit, we were invited to go explore the 'town' which was very awkwardly made so that it's only attraction (the museum) is on the other side of a long walking street from the town center where everything else worth seeing is.  Which meant with our limited time (and the slow steady rain outside) that most of us just stayed nearby and found a covered nook in which to eat our lunches.

I have no idea who this is a statue of, but he was so epic under this oculus.

Pretty typical of the museum- axial view to the distance and walls that are way too loud.  But, beautiful art.

3.) Trapholt Museum, Kolding, Juttland

This was one of my favorite stops of the trip- a modern Scandinavian furniture and art museum.  Like the Fåborg, constant level changes, and sudden and unexpected turns, but in such a clear way that it worked perfectly.  I felt to curious and playful the whole time I was in that building- I loved it!  Plus, the main axis (which was not a straight axis, but more of a bent line running across the site) was this amazing concrete vault that reminded me of the delicacy and understanding of Kahn.  As it went away from the main entrance, it got lower and lower (in response to the sight, sloping towards a large lake off in the distance).  The ceiling, however, stayed at a constant level- meaning that by the end of the museum, the vault is monumental- at least double height- and all the more forceful because the width has not changed at all.  The other rooms responded to this code, getting taller and taller as you move through the museum.  And, these rooms were all full of nooks and cracks and stoops, so that the furniture was incredibly playful with the building.  At times, the building becoming the artwork, and times the artwork becoming the museum.  I could have stayed there for hours upon hours.  But we only had 45 minutes there.  What a pity.  Some day I will have to go back.

The main spine through the building.

4.)  Glasmuseum Ebeltoft, Ebeltoft, Juttland

Just so you know- this happened on day two.  We got to Ebeltoft in the evening, found our hostel, was served a delicious Hostel mean (who knew!) and went to bed.  Early the next morning we packed up and were off again!  First stop was the nearby Glass Museum, which functions as an art museum which a permanent and rotating collection but ALSO as the studio for many local glass artists.  There are, therefore three main spaces- a rotating gallery, which is a new building, a permanent gallery, which is a very old (1920's) building which has been repurposed and linked to the new gallery, and a work studio, detached from the rest.  The buildings I thought were interesting at some level, but nothing really special.  It was the back greenspace and the artwork in the buildings that I really enjoyed.  The glass was AMAZING.  The rotating gallery contained a set of hyper-realistic plants- specifically, a cabbage field.  It was great.  In the permanent gallery, there were some great blown-glass pieces too.  If we hadn't been on a guided tour with a guide who was very adiment that we keep up with her, I would have broken off and enjoyed them.  The back yard was really nice too- especially since it had been raining on and off, making every color seem SO poignant.  The grass was amazing.  But what was really interesting was how geometric it was- with square plotting beds and very strategically planted trees.  It was such a change from typical gardens- it had the strong signs of human input.  At the end of tour, we got to go into the artist's studio where some glass blowers were making goblets.  I had never seen the process before and couldn't even believe that what they did was possible!  I love it.  This is something I really want to try myself now.

Those are the hyper-realistic cabbages.  On real peat moss.  See her diligently (er- frantically?) sketching in the background?

5.)  Design Højskolen, Randers, Juttland

Let me begin with some history (oh god, I know, not more history- I'm sorry, it doesn't make too much sense without it).  Once upon a time there was this very special Danish man names Nikolaj Gruntvig who did far too many things for Danish Enlightenment for me to go into.  He hated the way that traditional western schooling worked, and having seen alternatives in England, decided to develop his own.  He thought that everyone, especially common people deserved to learn about the world and study, in depth, so that they could experience worldly-, as well as self-, discovery.  So, he created this school in Rødding where people of any age (although mostly young people... and at the time only men... he wasn't THAT enlightened...) could go learn about STUFF.  It wasn't about grades, or tests, or competition, it was really preparing people to go out into the world.  It was called a folkhøjskole (this means "people's -aka common man's- high school"), and pretty soon they were all over.  Most Danish people who have just graduated from Gymnasium (there high school, essentially) go to one for about a semester before going on to further education (such as university, vocational school, or even
apprenticeship for a job).  There you can study whatever it is you want to study, with a GOAL in mind, but not exams, no grades, and no real pressure.  You have an open and equal relationship with peers and professors, and it's kind of like 6 months in an educational commune.  But, most people feel more prepared for the real world after it.  Anyway, they sometimes have themes.  The one we went to, for example, was a design school.  There were 3 fields of study to choose from- graphic arts, fashion, and architecture, and you spent 6 months there basically getting hands on experience about what it's like.  They say the focus is on process, not product, but there were some COOL things happening there.  The fashion students were hand screenprinting jackalopes.  Anyway, we were given a tour of the facilities, which I would say at least rival both my DIS and Cal Poly facilities (see- sometimes socialism works), and met a few professors and students.  It was a great place- out in the countryside on an OLD farm which had been converted (barn and all) into art spaces.  Loved it.  And to common facilities- like the cafe, central lawn, and lake were very nice as well.

The architecture experimentation room in the old barn.  Hilarious!

6.)  ARoS, Århus, Juttland

I will point out two things before I begin: 1, Århus is the second largest city in Denmark at 250,000 people.  2, Århus is pronouced "Or-hoos", which reminds me of the song "Our House" by Madness from the 80's.  And everytime I saw a sign that had the name the whole tour I got the song stuck in my head.  ANYway: So, ARoS is perhaps one of the more famous art museums in Denmark.  It's rather new, completed in 2004, and designed by the prominent Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL), who also designed the Danish Royal Library (the Black Diamond) in Copenhagen.  Anyway, it is a BIG BRICK BOX.  And really.  I mean all three with capital letters.  It was pretty fun to look at actually, the texture and the weathering of the brick was nice (although after 6 years, there should NOT be that much discoloration on those bricks).  Plus, when you go inside the feeling completely changes.  It is starch white, and the atrium goes from the ground floor to the top floor- 5 stories up!  To be honest, as a museum I found it quite stupid.  As a sculptural piece it was great- I was awe inspired.  But the galleries became something completely other, disconnected from the narcissism of the atrium- like literally separated by big, thick walls.  It was as if the art were an afterthought.  I will say, however, that if you are ever in the 'big city', you should go just to see it- even if you just walk through the atrium and leave.  But if you go in, go to the bottom floor, where they have a standing exhibition called (at the moment) de 9 rum (the 9 rooms).  I was told by a fellow student that the space gets re-divided every year, adding a new room.  So, soon it will be de 10 rum... although I'm only passing on what she said.  I don't know that for certain.  All I DO know is that that exhibit was INSANE.  It was like being in a haunted house- I have never felt so uncomfortable walking through a gallery ever.  There were hallways that led from room to room, but everything was so dark, and you had no idea if there were people around you or not.  It was just blind movement, hoping you would stumble upon something.  And when you did, you weren't sure if you should look or run past.  I went by one room which was fitted out like a 1950's living room, with a couch, tv, ugly throw pillows, the works.  And, two motionless people watching the tv.  There was about a 10 cm level change up to go into the room, so I didn't really know if I could go in or not.  And, not going to lie- the two people, pale in the tv glow and motionless looked like eerie wax figures.  So I stood and watched anxiously for like 4 minutes trying to decide if they were real.  In the end, they were actual human people, but the suspense killed me a little bit.  And... immediately after that, I ran away, out of the gallery, out of the basement, out of ARoS.  I had a very bad case of the jitters.

The beautiful narcissistic atrium at ARoS

7.) The rest of Århus (in the middle of the street...)

So, I went out to sketch the building from the OUTSIDE and get rid of my dread of those damn 9 rooms, and met up with a fellow student, Helen.  The two of us strolled around the nearby buildings (the Music Hall, which was beautiful, the grounds, etc) and then met up with a few more students.  We actually had plenty of time, so we went into Århus proper.  There is a very nice walkable downtown area, and we headed that way, over the river through town.  We enjoyed a very cute sandwich shop/cafe and had some warm drinks.  We also bought our dinner (sandwiches) to take back to the Hostel.  Which we did- and then were told that the bus driver would take us back into the city to find dinner!  Oh well, we got to wander with portable inexpensive (for Denmark, mind you- it was like a $12 sandwich) meals.  It turned out the river we passed is actually very much a river walk like in San Antonio, Texas.  Although not quite as active (what can you do, this 'metropolis' is tiny, far from Copenhagen, dark, and cold... even in September), but equally as beautiful.  We also went ahead and just got plain lost in the city, finding the harbor and sea by night, as well as a night club (called 'Spectrum) on a CRUISE SHIP (we would totally have paid the cover and stayed all night if we hadn't had to leave the hostel at 8 the next morning). We then had an adventure navigating the bus back to bed.

Riverwalk.

Walking Århus at night (Linsdsay, Helen, Willa from left to right)

The harbor.

8.)  Århus Krematorium Kapel

I bet you can guess what this is.  But for any of you without intuition, that means Crematorium Chapel.  And yes, there were totally dead bodies in the building in the back room while we were there.  They basically just let us wander the small building for the hour we spent there- like they gave us a key in advance and never came to supervise the visit, and I went to the back room, which turned out to be the home of the filled caskets.  Ew.  But, aside from that brush with the dead, I really really loved this building.  It's definitely up there with the Trapholt for best part of the trip.  The chapel was really just one tall cubic room, which had a manipulated ceiling to create a beautiful stream of light onto the front wall and alter.  With the electrical lights turned off, and natural daylight streaming in I felt so at peace just sitting there.  I can imagine being there for a funeral and having that beautiful light bring life and clarity to the situation.  I'm sure for such a solemn occasion that is the perfect, perfect, perfect space.  A lot of people didn't seem to like it, but I feel like they were maybe uncomfortable with the sparseness and the simple, almost imperceptible detail.  The lines of the concrete in this project were so precise.  And the light- oh the light!  I wish I knew how to get a building to do that!  Anyway, the grounds were equally as solemn and soft spoken and beautiful.  The building was protected by the most delicate birch trees, swaying softly, and a change in elevation- a sinking below ground level.  Out in front of the chapel stretched the most enormous cemetery- with the same detailed plots and hedges as the other church.  It was such clean and formal and serene as a whole.

The amazing quality of daylight in this space- keep in mind that Danish light isn't that bright.

Even with the lights on, still beautiful.  Also, what cool chairs!

9.) Århus Rådhus (also spelled Raadhus, pronouced roll (with a gutteral r) hoos)

This one was pretty old- funny, of course we went to 600 year old buildings, and this, built in the 30's, strikes me as the old one- in a style so very familiar to anyone who has looked towards Germany.  This was a MODERN building, with prefabricated structural components, clear lines, and tons of glass.  At the same time, it has a very nice intimate and human interior- with so much detailing, and such amazing Danish designed furniture and fixtures.  As the Germans would like to call it- a Gesamtkunstwerk (a total work of art- look it up if you don't know the term).  Oddly, dealing with Germans, it was bombed TWICE during WWII and has somehow managed to survive unharmed.  Really, it's in great condition for a 1930's European building.  Anyway, it was so very open inside, with these massive atrium spaces and hallways that ran along side them.  I won't lie though, it was a little scary to be on the top level (4th floor) and look back down.  It was very high.  Again, I loved the grounds as well.  We were in kind of a hurry so didn't see them in depth, but there were some great copper sculptures of very classical women all over the walking spaces.  Also, the CLOCK TOWER was so cool.  I guess the original plan didn't have one at all but the people in the town were so adamant that there be one that the architect changed his mind and gave them an unfathomably cool modern one.  It looks like concrete, which would have won me completely over, but I guess it's actually just marble veneer which has become extremely dirty over the years.  Still cool in spite of itself.

See the cool mural in the back?  Naked people.  Also, this is the vertigo top floor of the atrium.

One of the great statues on the lawns- dripping with dew. And the awesome clock tower behind.

10.) Koldinghus, Kolding, Juttland (yes, again... on the way back home)

By this point, I want you to know that I was tired- very tired.  But I liked the building anyway.  It is actually a very old castle (at least from the 1600's but maybe earlier).  I guess what happened was that Denmark was fighting with someone (one upon a time they were a very large country with lots of land and fought just about everybody) and the Spanish decided to help them out for whatever reason.  They came and stayed in Koldinghus... and through Spanish sleepiness of something, they managed to accidentally blow up the whole building.  Well, that was the end of the Danish ever asking the Spanish for help with anything ever again.  But so yeah, the castle became a pile of ruins, and layed dormant for some time.  It was later discovered by Danish artists, and became a common place of discovery and experimentation, and a common icon in Danish painting.  Eventually, however, they (whoever they are) decided that they wanted to restore the castle, and began a process that took a hundred years or something similarly ridiculous.  The final installment of this renovation just occurred within the last 20 years, so you can read many different time periods in the walls.  The best part of the place was that Great Hall, which had been completely blasted to pieces, and had entire walls missing.  In the most recent renovation a very distinct thin wall was put for the rest of the facade... almost like a mask.  It is read from inside and outside, but makes for a very interesting space inside, when coupled with the circulation and structural solutions.  Structure- amazing GIANT glulam trees, which stretch up above the space and hold up the applied ceiling.  Circulation- a series of hanging red catwalks which guide you from the upper floors down to the bottom.  Happily, the space isn't just a tribute to itself.  It is actually a gallery space!  At the moment, they were having the end days of a Beatles (yes the band) tribute.  There were posters, clothes, memorabilia, music, etc.  It was hilarious.  In the middle of Denmark.

Me at Koldinghus.  The picture you send home to Mom to show what her money paying for.

11.)  So after that, we SHOULD have gone straight home.  BUT we made a surprise stop in the middle of no where.  And when you are tired and hungry and expect to make it back in time for a delicious Danish dinner consisting most likely of pork and potatoes, you get grumpy.  Which we all were.  But we stopped in the middle of no where and they told us to get off the bus (without sketchbooks!).  They then proceeded to make us climb over a barbed wire fence, and walk a great distance through a green field.  At the end, we found a longhouse.  Yes, like a Native American long house.  Except, that it was a Viking long house.  Inside, it was cold, dark, and damp.  There was a tiny window, and a long bench.  On the bench- shot glasses full of hard liquor.  This, it turned out, was a surprise celebration stop!  We toasted, which in Danish is called "skol!" Everyone raises their glasses (or shots) at once, makes eye contact with others, and cries "skol", then takes the shot en masse.  It was terrible alcohol if you want to know the truth.  I have no idea what it was, but bad was what is was.  Fun anyway- i mean, taking a shot in a viking longhouse? Yes please.  Then, we walked out and were told to wander.  Wandering took us to a bigger field which had big round stones hammered into the ground, making the oblong shape of a longhouse in the ground.  These, it turns out, were the burial site, so to speak, of past longhouses.  Past the initial burials was a circular earthen wall which gave way to a circular valley which contained 16 more burial sites.  In the end, this place turned out to be Trelleborg, in Slagelse, Sjælland.  It is a the best example of a Viking city, and very well preserved. It was breathtaking is so amazing to see, even when tired.  The ages were weathered into the stone, and the earthen wall, and the grass, again, so green.  Plus, sheep were grazing casually all around, and it was the most picturesque and Danish end I could imagine for this long (but short) adventure.

Skol!

One of the entrances into the valley through the earthen walls.