Building as activism: From Djursland to the UIA

Elvira is studying for her master’s degree at Aarhus School of Architecture, she is also a self-builder and part of the Next Gen Program for the upcoming UIA World Congress of Architects, where she takes the stage at the Bella Center for two sessions.

21.06.2023

A tiny house built from bio-based materials

A study visit to Norway opened the eyes of Elvira, a true city dweller, to a less complicated way of living; a way of living closer to nature. For the third time, Elvira is now building a home together with her husband Kasper. And this time the home is on a slightly larger scale. For the family has grown to four people. But the basic approach is still inspired by the tiny house concept and its solid focus on sustainability: to use bio-based and climate-friendly materials rather than conventional materials as much as possible.

Many of the materials she uses were actually recycled from various demolition projects, including the beautiful slate roof Elvira has laid herself. Sustainability and climate considerations are not the only issues that concern her. The health of her little family is also a consideration. For, as Elvira says in the film, ‘when you live in a small space the indoor climate becomes very noticeable. For it becomes a kind of condensed version of a big house’.

Meet the new generation of architects at the UIA Congress

At the UIA Congress, Elvira chairs the session ‘Transition into sustainability practices – the first years.’ The theme of this session is professional activism in a young generation of architects who wants to use their architectural knowledge and skills to bring about real change. Several young architects participate in the session; architects who have, in different ways, been searching for a practice with the potential to create change at a very early stage of their careers. Elvira is joined by Raphaël Walther from Anatomies d’architecture, Paris, Stella Mutegi from Cave Bureau, Nairobi, Haakon Haanes from Nøysom Arkitekter, Oslo, and Gustav Kjær Vad Nielsen, who has just published the book “I, Like Many Things”.

Elvira will also be taking part in the next session ‘Educating for a sustainable now’, which focuses on strategies, formats and the content of teaching in the area of sustainability by means of presentations by international teachers and student workshops.

Both sessions were developed under the auspices of Next Gen and take place from 13.15 to 16.30, on 5 July, at the Bella Center in Copenhagen.