The Danish Architecture Centre and BIG exhibition FORMGIVING – An Architectural Future History

"The Danish word 'formgiving' literally means to give a form to something that does not yet have a form. In other words: to shape the future. And more specifically, to shape the world we want to live in - in the future." This is how architect Bjarke Ingels, founder of the BIG studio, introduces the exhibition that opened on the 12th June at the Danish Architecture Centre in Copenhagen. Bjarke Ingels is a master in pushing the boundaries, creating innovative architecture that allows people to experience and experiment with new ways of life. There are countless examples of the studio's iconic projects, like thel'Amager Resource Centre, the Copenhagen waste-to-energy plant with a ski slope or the Grove and Grand Bay spiral skyscrapers, which have a profound effect on the skyline of Miami, Florida. There are also projects aimed at the future, like the Hyperloop the supersonic train designed for the autonomous transport system in Dubai, which the public of SpazioFMGperl'Architettura discovered in an Italian preview, through a lecture held by architectKai-Uwe Bergmann of BIG as part of the launch of the documentary film The Architects Series – A documentary on: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group.

"FORMGIVING" is the largest exhibition ever organised by the DAC, as well asthe most important exhibition on BIG's architecture and design theory. Visitors will have the chance to see how work is carried out in an architecture studio that is changing the world. The exhibition is in three parts: from the Big Bang to the present and future. At the entrance, visitors are welcomed by a large timeline, starting from the Big Bang with the creation of the universe 14 billion years ago, which explains how the concept of “formgiving” has always played a key role in evolution and still plays it in contemporary life and in the possibilities of the future. Architects from the BIG studio are in the forefront of shaping the world, aware that “with great power comes great responsibility”, a quotation from the Spider Man comics, perfect for the versatility and dynamism that is a feature of the studio founded by Bjarke Ingels.
The present is represented by a miniature city with pioneering buildings designed by BIG and a world preview of many new designs. Finally, the future has new construction technologies like robots, artificial intelligence and 3D printing.
The exhibition also offers visitors the chance to try their hand at architecture. The display leads to a special Golden Gallery where creative people of all ages can attempt to design their dream world through a Danish icon: LEGO bricks, not forgetting that the LEGO House of Billund is also a project by the BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group architecture studio.

(Agnese Bifulco)

Title: FORMGIVING - An architectural future history from BIG Bang to singularity curated by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group in association with Danish Architecture Centre.
supported by Realdania, the Danish Industry Foundation, Beckett Fonden and Ole Kirk’s Foundation.
Date: June 12, 2019 – January 5, 2020
Location: Danish Architecture Centre, Bryghuspladsen 10 - 1473 København K – Denmark dac.dk

Images courtesy of Danish Architecture Centre, photo by Søren Aagaard, Iwan Baan, BIG, Kim Christensen, Johan Fowelin, Laurian Ghinitoiu, Rasmus Hjortshøj, Carsten Kring and Luca Santiago Mora.

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