Student, Senlina Mayer reflects on her year in Copenhagen, exploring the city’s dynamic architectural landscape and rich cultural experiences.
Hej! From Copenhagen
Majoring in Architecture, Copenhagen happened to be the UNESCO 2023 World Capital of the Year, so it was beyond being the perfect destination for me. During the year I had the pleasure of participating in the 2023 UIA (Union of International Architects) World Congress in Copenhagen as a ‘Next Gen’ speaker and working as a intern at the Danish/Icelandic practice, Lendager Group. Copenhagen Architecture Festival was another highlight that offered a colourful cultural cross-section of Copenhagen represented through the arts, food, anthropology, architecture and urban design – Denmark’s finest!
Thousands of people from around the world attended this year’s conference, focussed on sustainability.
CPH Architecture Festival showcased some of the city’s most interesting spaces.
Lendager Group project – resource rows uses upcycled brick waste to create a new façade.
The University of Denmark also offered an early start course with cultural studies and foundational Danish – this was super helpful later on when I pursued further Danish language modules. Bending your tongue to pronounce Danish correctly is often likened to having a potato in your mouth! The classes were very hands-on, participatory experiences that I felt like our classroom became the city.
Lendager Group office
I can’t forget to mention that being a part of the celebrations of King Frederik II and Queen Mary’s coronation and working for Copenhagen Fashion Week were absolutely highlights!
Gammel Strand at dusk
And last but not least, I can’t stress enough the joy of biking around this charming, (flat) ever-evolving city with trusty steed (Vera).
CPHFW
Vera, my bike
The daily commute