An architectural future history from BIG Bang to singularity
June 12, 2019 – January 5, 2020
On June 12, 2019, Danish Architecture Center (DAC) opens its next exhibition, “FORMGIVING”, on the work of BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group. It will be DAC’s biggest exhibition to date, as well as the biggest-ever exhibition of BIG’s architecture and philosophy. Through a historical timeline, visitors will experience a world designed and shaped by humans – from the birth of formgiving with the Big Bang to life as we know it today and the possibilities of the future. Finally, a LEGO universe invites the curious of all ages to explore the mysterious world of formgiving and to build the future they dream of.
Photocredit: BLOX. Photo: Rasmus Hjortshøj
Architects seek to shape the world. The lines they draw today help shape the future that we and coming generations will live in. And with this power comes tremendous responsibility. One of the world’s most radical formgivers today is the Danish architectural firm BIG, with celebrated architect Bjarke Ingels at the helm. BIG has become internationally renowned for pushing the boundaries of what architecture is and can do. Its architects create bow-shaped museums, spiral-shaped apartment buildings, ski slopes atop incineration plants and the world’s fastest mode of transportation.
In June, BIG and DAC open their biggest exhibition ever, entitled FORMGIVING – An Architectural Future History from the BIG Bang to Singularity. The exhibition will give visitors unique insight into the heart and mind of one of the world’s most fascinating architects, as Bjarke Ingels & Co. present their new design philosophy, which introduces the concept of “formgiving” to the world. In essence, BIG creates generous architecture that allows people to live and experience life in new ways.
“BIG is one of the most successful and innovative architectural firms of our time, and the man behind it, Bjarke Ingels, is a master at pushing boundaries, creating innovative architecture and redefining the value of architecture. DAC’s newest exhibition gives visitors a unique glimpse into the master’s own workshop and explains the design philosophy that is changing our world. We say we’re only limited by our imaginations, but Bjarke Ingels’ imagination is limitless,” says Kent Martinussen, CEO, Danish Architecture Center.
A Journey Through Time
The exhibition unfolds in three chapters: from the Big Bang through the present and into the future. The first exhibition element visitors meet is a giant, spatial timeline, beginning with the Big Bang – the birth of the universe 14 billion years ago. This timeline illustrates how formgiving has played a key role in the evolution of our planet and how it continues to do so. On their journey, visitors can step into the Golden Gallery, where creative people of all ages can design the world they dream of living in. Surrounded by 25 BIG buildings in LEGO, a huge pool of LEGO bricks encourages everyone to set their imaginations free.
Visitors then meet the present – a miniature city of exciting new architectural works in the form of pioneering buildings and city plans, including the world premiere of several brand-new designs. Finally, visitors are invited to journey into the future for a closer look at building technology such as robots, AI, 3D printing and more, which have the potential to enable humans to one day live on Mars.
“The Danish word ‘formgivning’ literally means to give something a form 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. Starting with the Big Bang, DAC’s visitors are taken on a journey through time as the world around us takes form – from the past to the future. The 71 projects on display at DAC offer a glimpse of our world, five, ten and fifty years into the future. Instead of seeking to predict the future, we humans have the opportunity to shape our future.
Every time we design a project, as formgivers we can give the future a gift – giving the world something it otherwise wouldn’t have and hasn’t asked for. By giving the future a gift every time we break ground on a new project, we come one step closer to the world of our dreams: A Pragmatic Utopia,” says Bjarke Ingels, founding partner and creative director of BIG.
“The urban development of the future needs architects who can walk unexpected paths. Bjarke Ingels turns huge, global challenges into limitless possibilities. He is a Danish world phenomenon who mobilizes sustainable urban development with spirit, creativity and imagination. BIG shows us that architecture can be unpretentious and down to earth. Realdania is delighted to support this exhibition, which demonstrates through play and learning that architecture creates the framework for our lives and therefore has an impact on us all,” says Jesper Nygård, CEO of Realdania.
You can see the exhibition at Danish Architecture Center from June 12, 2019
An architectural future history from BIG Bang to singularity
June 12, 2019 – January 5, 2020
