About Research Lab 1: Transformation

The research laboratory works with transformation processes at all levels of scale by exploring their significance, history and relevance as well as their potential in terms of the future development of society.

Transformation is a specific technical term within the field of architecture. But it also, on a more general level, covers the processes of change our society is constantly undergoing. To us, transformation is about being attentive to societal changes, to focus our research on robust and long-term sustainable solutions. Examples of this include our research into the sustainable transformation of urban spaces, valuable cultural environments, and a strong focus on the resource and environmental benefits of preserving and reusing, instead of demolishing and building new buildings.

The laboratory integrates research that deals with the issue of transformation in architecture in theory as well as practice. The field of research is understood as a culture that has continuously been developing throughout history. And the research seeks to create knowledge about and strategies for how understanding and using this culture might be employed to create the architecture of tomorrow.

The research ranges widely in scale from strategies to individual buildings – through the macro, meso and micro levels. Research into landscapes, processes of urbanisation, and built-up structures is connected with heritage in the form of existing buildings, complexes, and cultural environments as well as small-scale interventions and human practices in the built environment.

The field of research comprises international and regional networks of professional fields within landscapes, urban development, planning, urban spaces, heritage and buildings, containing material as well as immaterial aspects and mindsets. This is in recognition of the fact that our environment and building culture are constantly undergoing transformations, and we are working to ensure that in our time this can take place with a special focus on sustainability and green change – be it environmentally, socially, economically or aesthetically.

The research in the laboratory aims to connect with other disciplines and base itself on a wide range of methodological approaches. The research comprises theoretical, academic approaches, empirical research based on architectural methods, as well as forms of practice, development work and research-by-design.

See which researchers are associated with Research Lab 1 in the Research Database

Professor Tom Nielsen works as a coordinator in Research Lab 1.