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.
«What we are rethinking today is the ‹Normal› of the generation now born. It will be their stepping stone to give form to the future.» Bjarke Ingels
In June, BIG and DAC opened 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:
“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.
For Christoph Jansen, Jansen AG management, the reasons for Jansen Steel Systems' sponsoring commitment are obvious, “Since over half a decade, we've been inspired by sophisticated architecture. Our steel systems allow architects to give form to their projects and toimplement their visions economically as well as ecologically sustainable. Especially collaborations with visionary architects result in new ideas, which help us to align our steel systems to future needs.”
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. 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.
You can see the exhibition at Danish Architecture Center from June 12, to October 20th, 2019. Jansen Steel Systems is sponsoring the exhibition, which will also be on display at the Triennale di Milano in 2020 - it remains to be seen what form Bjarke Ingels will give to its largest exhibition there.
Find out more about the exhibition
