KEA Charrette 2022

This did not mean that the task became less complicated Students were expected to work with regenerative design, bio-mimicry and existainability while creating spaces across generations.

The Themes

The thematic template for the 2022 Charrette was very much created out of a wish for students to look beyond traditional sustainability and inspire their local collaborators to do the same.

Regenerative design challenges the concept of economics growth as a basis for progress. The concept suggests that we should contribute more than we exploit, but how can we change the paradigm? What can we, as individuals, communities, and nations aspire tom, if not economic expansion? Could we strive to give more back to nature than we take?

As part of the regenerative theme you will find the concepts of bio-mimicry and existainability. Bio-mimicry is, in short, the act of learning from nature while existainability deals with the idea of connecting sustainability to the human process of being. At the core of existainability is the belief that any green transition starts at the very core of each human being and that the awareness of humans is deeply integrated with nature.

This is also where we find the value of “intergenerational spaces” meaning that one generation alone cannot solve the complex challenges of saving the future, so to speak. We need to think beyond ourselves and dare to think across several generations.

Charrette Kick-off

Many of the students started the Charrette by gathering in the centre of Copenhagen for a day of socializing – first vegetarian lunch buffet followed by a habour tour of Copenhagen’s new South Harbor developments. Later they were invited for food, drinks and tunes in the local Nordvest venue Støddæmperen.

The real work started Monday morning where over 100 students and advisors gathered for formal presentations about the 2022 Charrette themes. The presentations contained many dire warnings about the future of our planet, but also some optimism and good advice on how we can work to improve our future.

Monday kick-off also contained introduction of student groups, getting settled in the group spaces plus meeting the local companies and organizations that would be their collaborators for the week. Lots of things to relate to and lots of things to divert your attention.

The Local Collaborators

Every year, the student groups in the KEA Charrette work with a local organization or company in order to concretize the themes of the Charrette. This year the students were working with the following collaborators:

• Bikuben Foundation – a foundation for young people and artists
• KAB Lundtoftegade – non-profit housing association  
• TEMPI – Danish and world roots music association
• Bispebjerg Lokaludvalg – official community association of Bispebjerg area

Collaborators versus themes: Reframing the question

One of the main issues of the Charrette workshop is the tension that happens when you work with two briefs: One brief from KEA Charrette and one brief from your collaborator. Although students were encouraged to reframe the brief from the collaborator it takes a lot of courage to go ahead and do so.

How do you balance your concept on what the client wants versus what you are briefed to work with? It was an interesting process to see what the student groups came up with throughout the week and how they worked with this dilemma.

The Final Concepts

After an intense week of collaborating, exploring, designing, discussing and ultimately developing the final concepts, the students were ready to present their concept to the local collaborator first and later their peers and the Charrette jury.