Overview

Architecture as Appropriation - Material and Immaterial Archives transposes the past into the present, relying on the practices of architects and builders commonly appropriating existing structures and building materials for new constructions. Throughout history buildings have served as a kind of historical archive to be mined. In so doing, they have functioned as reinterpretations of aesthetic, stylistic, symbolical, and allegorical content into new formats.

Key facts:

The current emphasis on re-use and circularity in architecture demands new readings of architectural history, where such practices where once completely normalized. Appropriation – the reuse of materials, elements and motifs for new meanings and uses – is a critical concept in understanding the motivations and logics behind how architects and builders reshape the built environment based on historical context and material conditions.

Using the case of the city of Rome – the city par excellence for studying appropriation, from antiquity to today – this course explores the ways in which history and temporality are manifest in our built environment, discussing the meanings inherent in material and immaterial appropriations, their potential as archives, and their impact on our notions of history. More generally, we see history in architecture as both produced and encountered at material and conceptual levels, linking past, present and future.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Material conditions and appropriations determining the form and purpose of buildings
The use of spolia
Stylistic appropriations and (re-)interpretations of formal elements
Concepts of history and time as manifest in architecture
Appropriations in architecture from a resource perspective

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 1 days

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-29 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-02-01 00:00:00

More details

1 day workshop, Department for Arts and Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen,
2 November 2026, ½ day seminar at the Royal Academy – Architecture
7-13 December 2026, field work w/ Danish Academy in Rome

Language

English

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Aarhus, Denmark

Disciplines

Architecture Materials Science

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.

Other requirements

General requirements

To obtain additional information about the programme, we kindly suggest that you visit the programme website, where you can find further details and relevant resources.

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Tuition Fees

Living costs

Aarhus

Denmark

6639 - 10051 DKK / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.