The inaugural Copenhagen Architecture Biennial is set to transform Denmark's capital into a hub for architectural innovation and sustainable design discourse when it opens on September 18 and runs through October 19. Led by Josephine Michau, CEO and Founder of CAFx and curator of the Danish Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023, this first-ever biennial launches under the compelling theme "Slow Down," which challenges the conventional pace of development in response to mounting pressures from rapid population growth, excessive resource consumption, and escalating environmental challenges.
The comprehensive program will feature more than 200 events spanning the entire month, including guided city walks, film screenings, academic lectures, cutting-edge exhibitions, live performances, and community harvest gatherings. These diverse activities will explore innovative approaches to creating sustainable futures through thoughtful architecture and urban planning. The biennial's central philosophy emphasizes prioritizing transformation over demolition, designing buildings that accommodate multiple species, and fostering new communities while emphasizing careful stewardship of the existing built environment.
Following a competitive open call process earlier this year, two groundbreaking projects have been selected to serve as the biennial's flagship installations. "Barn Again" by Tom Svilans x THISS Studio and "Inside Out, Downside Up" by Slaatto Morsbøl will be strategically positioned in Copenhagen's Cultural District at Søren Kierkegaards Plads and Gammel Strand respectively. These modular pavilions represent innovative experiments in material reuse and demonstrate how slowing down the building industry can be expressed through bold architectural and aesthetic experimentation.
Developed through collaborative partnerships with Revalu, Dreyers Foundation, and Buro Happold, both pavilions incorporate recycled, regenerative, and reusable materials as core design elements. The structures are designed to function as dynamic hubs for the biennial's extensive public program while embodying its commitment to circular design principles, zero waste practices, and long-term ecological impact. The pavilions will officially open on September 18 with guided tours beginning at "Inside Out, Downside Up" at Søren Kierkegaards Plads, followed by "Barn Again" at Gammel Strand.
Complementing the pavilions, the biennial will present a major group exhibition also titled "Slow Down," spanning two significant venues that bridge Denmark and Sweden: Halmtorvet 27 in Copenhagen and the Form/Design Center in Malmö. This transdisciplinary exhibition brings together contributions at the intersection of art and architecture, examining viable alternatives to today's fast-paced development patterns and exploring how cultural narratives can shift toward slower, more sustainable futures.
Selected from several hundred international applications, the exhibition will feature work by renowned collectives including Dark Matter Labs, Studio Tideland with Emma Rishøj, and CENTRALA, among many other innovative practitioners. Through immersive installations, spatial experiments, and conceptual works, the exhibition seeks to give physical form to alternative imaginaries while engaging with themes such as shock and surge, friction and frenzy, weariness and whirl, ultimately offering fresh perspectives on architecture's crucial role in shaping cultural tempo and environmental responsibility.
The program will also feature Open House Copenhagen, providing free public access to sites across the city that are typically closed to visitors. Participants will have unprecedented opportunities to explore contemporary Danish architecture, historically significant buildings, private residences, and innovative climate-adaptive landscapes, including the notable Medicinal Museum in Copenhagen. This initiative provides a rare chance to visit hidden and lesser-known spaces, revealing both iconic landmarks and secret corners of the city's rich architectural and cultural landscape.
A highlight of the biennial's programming is "Assemble!" which will bring together architects, engineers, developers, poets, economists, and activists to explore how systemic change in the building sector can be shaped through new regulations, ownership models, and innovative design processes. Held at the prestigious Danish Architecture Center on September 18-19, this two-day event is conceived as both a structural experiment and policy rehearsal, aimed at turning ambitious ideas into actionable strategies for industry transformation.
The first day, titled "Breaking Barriers Through Law," will open with Katherine Richardson and feature groundbreaking proposals from Kate Orff on climate adaptation, Indy Johar on implementing a global pause in construction, and Anders Lendager on circular ownership models. These presentations will be followed by expert panels and detailed case studies with leading practitioners across the sector. The second day, "From Policies to Practices," shifts focus to practical implementation through interactive panels, presentations, and a participatory workshop with The Green Youth Movement, featuring speakers including Frederik J. Preisler, HY William Chan, Esther Kjeldahl, Liv Sejrbo Lidegaard, Christele Harrouk, and Christian Poll.
On September 19 at CAFx, Halmtorvet 27, ArchDaily will announce the fifth edition of Next Practices 2025, continuing its mission to highlight emerging architecture teams who challenge conventional approaches and expand the boundaries of the field. Since launching in 2020 as Best New Practices, this initiative has recognized 85 innovative teams from 32 countries, showcasing groundbreaking work in sustainability, heritage preservation, and community engagement. The fifth edition continues this important focus while amplifying underrepresented voices and exploring architecture's vast potential to address pressing global challenges including climate change, social inequality, and rapid urbanization through bold ideas and locally grounded strategies.
The Copenhagen Architecture Biennial joins a growing roster of significant international architecture events, including the 18th Istanbul Biennial curated by Christine Tohmé, which will take place in three phases from 2025 to 2027. The sixth Chicago Architecture Biennial will mark its tenth anniversary, running from September 12, 2025, to February 28, 2026, while in Seoul, renowned architect Thomas Heatherwick serves as General Director and curator of the 2025 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, Asia's largest architecture biennial, scheduled for September 1 to October 31, 2025.
