"Housing, Modernism and Cultural Heritage" by Poul Sverrild, Keynote Speaker

Abstract

The lecture presents the main points in Danish housing history since 1850 with a focus on the working classes and architectural/technical problem- solving. Danish listing practise/ideology will be presented leading to an introduction to the museum´s methodology developed to identify heritage qualities in the built landscapes in the suburb. Zooming in on early Danish prefab housing, the lecture introduces the first Danish experimental low/dense project “Grenhusene” by architect Svenn Eske Christensen. Using “Grenhusene” as case the lecture moves on to discuss the complex problems arising from working with a building heritage that concerns the history of ordinary people in a cultural climate dominated by the dwellers´ economic interests, tenants democracy, habitual cultural attitudes and the climate agenda.