Dorte Mandrup founded her own studio in 1999, where she continues to work hands-on and in close interaction with an international team of 75 architects. Through strong compositional takes, her forte is designing for complex and challenging sites with an insightfulness that addresses environmental and societal contexts. A preoccupation with exploring sculptural and material qualities of architecture leads to artful, intriguing spaces that foreground their environment and the conditions from which they arise. Dorte Mandrup’s method is defined by a formal restlessness materializing in deep, contextual analysis and explorative prototyping. She has distinguished herself in the architectural field with extraordinary projects like The Whale in Norway, The Icefjord Centre in Greenland, and The Exile Museum at Anhalter Bahnhof in Berlin.
As a consistent critic, Dorte Mandrup is well known for her commitment to the development of the architectural practice and frequent participation in public debates. She is Vice Chairman of the board of Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, member of the Historic Buildings Council, Honorary Professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Architecture, Design and Conservation and holds frequent visiting professorships abroad – most recently at Cornell University Collage of Architecture, Art and Planning and this year at Accademia di Architettura de Mendrisio.
Statement Dorte Mandrup:
The pandemic has highlighted the importance of public space. In a time of lockdown and social distancing, more people have ventured to parks, green stretches, and city squares to meet, exercise, play or simply escape the unfamiliar feeling of the imposed indoor life. This is creating both a need and an opportunity to prioritize new public areas within the city and improve the quality of the spaces already available. As architects we want to create spaces where people can meet. In the post-pandemic city, giving something back by integrating public meeting places as a natural part of designs and buildings should not just be an afterthought.
Photo: Torben Eskerod