Kristian Lars Ahlmark, senior partner at schmidt/hammer/lassen architects, will be a speaker at GIS Budapest 2016 and RIFF Warsaw 2016.
About the studio
schmidt/hammer/lassen architects is an international architectural firm founded by a group of Danish architects in 1986 in Aarhus, Denmark. It is one of Scandinavia’s most recognized architectural practices and currently has offices in Aarhus, Copenhagen, London, Shanghai and Singapore. They are known as designers of high-profile cultural buildings, art galleries, educational complexes and libraries. The practice is deeply rooted in the Scandinavian architectural traditions based on democracy, welfare, aesthetics, light, sustainability and social responsibility.
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects has recently been awarded first prize in an international competition to design the 25,000m² Student Centre & Library for the Wenzhou-Kean University in Wenzhou, China. Set on 500 acres in a rural mountainous region, the university will provide learning and living space for 8.500 students. The new building is located at the heart of the university and designed to embrace interaction and diversity, creating opportunities for new ways of learning in an informal environment and will become the central hub for student activities within the campus.
“By creating a strong and diverse hierarchy consisting of streets, alleys, squares and plazas, we see a future city centre that will become a catalyst for the dense urban development of Skøyen,” explains the architect. This reflects the studio’s philosophy of their work as a democratic approach to an architecture focused around people, material, space and light. The functionality – meeting the specific needs of the users – is also key, as are all aspects of sustainability. Where possible, the practice will explore the vital relationship between art, design and architecture.
Projects include the Amazon Court office building in Prague, the City of Westminster College in London, the University of Aberdeen Sir Duncan Rice Library in Scotland and a number of construction projects and masterplans in China. Also DOKK1 Urban Mediaspace in Denmark, Halifax Central Library in Canada, Cathedral of the Northern Lights in Norway, Aberdeen Sir Duncan Rice Library in Scotland and many others.
In Scandinavia, schmidt hammer lassen architects is best known for the prestigious extension to the Royal Library – The Black Diamond, the ARoS Aarhus Museum of Art and the Cultural Centre of Greenland in Nuuk.
Recent awards
• 2015 – Commendation, Architectural Review MIPIM Future Project Awards 2015
• 2014 – World Green Design Product Award for Grøndalsvej, DK
• 2013 – The Danish Lighting Award, shortlisted with IBC Innovations Factory
• 2013 – INSIDE Awards, shortlisted in the Creative re-use category for IBC Innovation factory, DK
• 2013 – World Architecture Festival Awards, shortlisted in the Civic and Community category for University of Aberdeen New Library, UK
• 2013 – RIAS Award for University of Aberdeen New Library, UK
• 2013 – RIBA National Award for University of Aberdeen New Library, UK
• 2013 – IABSE Denmark’s Structure Award for the Crystal in Copenhagen
• 2012 – Civic Society Award for University of Aberdeen New Library, UK
• 2012 – RIBA Award, EU category, shortlisted for The Crystal, Denmark
• 2011 – ArchDaily Building of the Year Award for the Crystal, Denmark
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