The Research-Practice Forum for Architects
The research-practice forum is a peer-to-peer network forging connections between academia and architectural practice. We will meet 4 times per year for themed meetings. Each time with one or more short expert talks and an open discussion amongst the participants.
The Danish building sector is facing an unprecedented transformation driven by climate targets, the EU taxonomy, embodied-carbon limits, circular-economy strategies, and rising demands for measurable performance. Within the built environment, change often happens in the intersection between research and practice. It is an ongoing dialogue where one informs the other, and this meeting is a key driver in the green transformation of the building industry. This creates an exciting opportunity to strengthen connections between academic research and daily practice.
The network brings these worlds together, where researchers gain valuable insight into practical obstacles and potentials, and practitioners engage directly with research that can enhance and reshape their work. The Research–Practice Forum for Architects is an English-speaking, member-driven network that aims to explore how research and practice can inform one another. The network operates in English to foster inclusivity and ensure accessibility for the international architects, researchers, and students working within the Danish architectural community, while remaining open to all members regardless of native language.
The forum will be structured around 4-6 themed meetings annually. The meetings will be posted on-line in the public event calendar as well as via invite to the already signed up network members.
Integrated Approach
The network recognizes that environmental and social sustainability, technical research and cultural questions are inherently interconnected. Each session integrates academic and practice perspectives alongside environmental, social, and cultural dimensions of architectural work.
The network will create a structured forum for:
- Translating academic research into practical design examples. Exploring what role academic research can play in architectural practices.
- Strengthening evidence-based design and the ongoing conversation between researchers and designers.
- Exploring how academia can inform design choices and how design is incorporated into research.
The network aligns with the purpose of the Danish Association of Architects’ member networks, offering peer-to-peer sparring, professional development, and knowledge exchange.
Expected Outcomes
- Stronger integration of research into project workflows
- Improved collaboration between academia and practice
- Increased confidence in climate-driven design decisions
- Cross-office knowledge exchange
Long-term ambition
To establish a research-informed professional culture within architectural practice.
Who is it for:
- English & Danish-speaking architects working in Danish practices
- PhD candidates and researchers in architecture and building science
- Other professionals interested in research-based design and climate transition
- Students from the Royal Academy and Aarhus Architecture School.
Participants are required to be members of the Danish Association of Architects, student members or members of FORUM.
Practical information
How to join
Write an email to sgh@arkitektforeningen.dk
Meeting place
Unless otherwise notes all meetings take place at the Danish Association of Architects, Åbenrå 34, 1124 Copenhagen K.
Meetings, dates
May 27th 2026. First meeting “Common Ground” and launch of the new network. Read more and sign up for the meeting here.
September 23rd 2026. Second meeting The Housing We Need vs. The Housing We Build. Date and sign-up link forthcoming
Network leaders
Architect MAA Helena Jingyi Bjørn Christiensen, Sustainability Manager at Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects.
Helena Jingyi Christensen is an Architect MAA and Sustainability Manager at Schmidt Hammer Lassen, where she works across project delivery, research and innovation. She bridges sustainability ambitions with the technical analysis needed to achieve them, while pursuing research into biogenic materials, adaptive transformation, and food systems. This dual footing in practice and research is precisely what led her to co-lead the forum.
Architect MAA Tiziano Rumori, Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects.
Tiziano Rumori is a Lead Design Architect, Architect MAA and LEED AP at Vilhelm Lauritzen Arkitekter, where he works across complex projects from early concept to delivery. He brings experience from a wide range of building types, including healthcare, research, infrastructure, and commercial developments, with a strong focus on integrating design quality with environmental responsibility and technical clarity. Alongside his professional work, he contributes to YouBuild magazine, writing about the built environment within the Danish context, and maintains an active interest in how research can inform everyday architectural decisions. His approach combines practical project experience with a reflective engagement in emerging knowledge, which informs his role in shaping the direction and conversations of the forum together with his co-lead.