Greetings From Aarhus

When arriving in Denmark many of my preconceptions of this Scandinavian country where immediately confirmed. It was extremely cold, beautiful and cosy. Best of all the people where great!

Beggining my semester of exchange in the coldest winter months was a complete shock to the system. I new wardrobe was established to live in harmony with the Nordic winter. The cold climate of Aarhus therefor breeds a very unique culture, differing greatly to Australia. The friendly people of Denmark make it extremely easy to slide into this lifestyle and culture. Scandinavian food in each others homes and having a beer in cosy bars where a great way to start.

The center of Aarhus is a beautiful old part of the city. Cobblestone streets, single height buildings and small monuments give it a distinctly Scandinavian feel. This central district is called the ‘Latin Quater’. It’s by far the best area to live or hang out in cafes and restaurants. It is also extremely close to Aarhus University and Aarhus Arkitektskolen (the architecture school)

The high proportion of students in Aarhus makes it an ideal place for coming on exchange. There is a very energetic vibe there have been numerous events already since being here.

The highlight so far of living in Aarhus has been my learning experience at the Arkitektskolen. The style of teaching, workspaces and equipement is radically different from UTS. A professional style studio experience allows you really push your learning to its limits. All the students are very out going, great to work with and fun to hang with. Like all danish people, they have the similar humour and outgoing character that Australians at home have. This has made the transition into Danish living very smooth for me.

I am currently abroad from Denmark in Chile, South America on a study field trip. Almost all studios at the Arkitektskolen go abroad on trips for a portion of the semester. This is a great way to streanghten friendships with your peers, new cultural experiences and radical new ways of designing. So far we have spent the majority of our time in a place called ‘The Open City’ near Ritoque, that was founded by a few Chilean architects and poets. We have been doing concrete workshops and 1:1 constructions. This trip so far has furthered my education st a speed I didn’t know was possible. I have only been on this field trip for 2 out of 3 weeks so far and cannot wait to see what I’ll be experiencing next.

These unique learning conditions are making me even more excited to return to Aarhus to complete my semester with new ways of thinking. I’m looking forward to what’s to come next!

Luka

12057663

B. Design in Architecture

Arkitektskolen Aarhus