What happens to buildings when life moves out? When the chickens have left the henhouse, production has moved abroad, and the silo stands empty? The buildings remain, bearing traces of what they once were. 

For many years, the answer has often been to demolish and start again. But something is happening in architecture right now. The transformation of existing buildings has become one of the defining movements of our time, and the interest in breathing new life into old buildings extends far beyond the architectural profession. We watch renovations and transformations unfold on television, and more and more of us are beginning to see the possibilities hidden in the crooked, the worn, and the difficult.

At the same time, 2.2 million square metres of buildings are demolished in Denmark every year. That is equivalent to almost two detached houses every hour – or around 330 football pitches a year.

Perhaps those square metres hold more possibilities than we think?

Afterlife – A Tribute to Difficult Buildings explores what can happen when we take a second look at what is already there. Perhaps the exhibition will also make you see the buildings around you differently. The one you live in. The one you pass every day. Or the one you wrote off long ago.

Exhibitors

Arcgency – Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) – CEBRA – Claus Pryds Arkitekter – Cobe – Djernes & Bell – Dorte Mandrup – Jespersen Nødtved – LBB3 – Leif Hansen Arkitekter – Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter – NORRØN – OS Arkitekter – Praksis Arkitekter – Rumgehør – Slaatto Morsbøl – Svendborg Arkitekter – Tegnestuen LOKAL – VMB Arkitekter.