Author: Avery Lake | Major: Architecture | Semester: Summer 2024
This is me in Nyhavn! This street is probably the first thing you’ll see if you google “Copenhagen” and is filled with colorful homes, drinks, and ice cream!
The saying, “We all have the same 24 hours in a day,” has always been a phrase I admired. Motivational in nature, it serves as a pleasant reminder that everyone is living the same day, moving forward together. Oddly enough, this phrase became meaningless when I lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, this past summer. The days there stretched long beyond any I experienced in the United States, with the sky only being truly dark for about five hours a night.
Our days were filled with a new culture and so much to experience that the extended daylight created a phenomenal setting for hosting a study abroad program. It truly felt like we had more hours in the day than others, as Copenhagen is safe, active, and bright for 17-18 hours a day. I chose to study abroad in Copenhagen without knowing about their lengthy days, but because of my interest in their unique architecture. I was fascinated by their airy facade systems and sustainability initiatives: windows that open wide, no air conditioning, curving walls, and green roofs. I’ve also had a long-standing interest in timber design due to the Fay Jones School’s emphasis on wood construction.
When I heard about the wooden furniture studio, I was inclined to understand timber construction on a smaller scale. I chose their summer 2024 program, a six-week intensive course resulting in a chair designed and built by me! The program typically involved 6-9 hours of class time a day, with no outside homework or study. This may sound intimidating, but with the long sunny days in Copenhagen, it still allowed plenty of time to explore and experience the city.
The first few weeks were dedicated to in-class design. No computers were allowed, only hand drawings, and I relished learning this new skill. In the first year of architecture school, there’s typically a heavy emphasis on hand drawing, but because I began in 2020, COVID made this difficult, so this program felt valuable in filling in these skills. We also attended a study tour to northern Denmark and Sweden, touring design firms, manufacturing factories, and even furniture makers’ personal homes. The second half of the program was dedicated to a two-week intensive woodshop, where we began the actual construction of our chairs. We brought our full hand-drawings to the shop and built directly from these, and seeing my design come to life was incredibly rewarding. I left these weeks feeling incredibly confident in my workshop and woodworking skills, and I hope to pursue this hobby further when I get home. In the final week, we were professionally photographed with our chairs and had a review. Two of our guest faculty were actually from the University of Arkansas! It was wonderful to see people from home in such a new place, celebrating all that had been accomplished.
A moment from the trip that really stood out to me was our class barbecue. We all gathered together, potluck style, and even our faculty brought side dishes. We celebrated the first week of the woodshop being completed and grilled on the rooftop terrace while enjoying each other’s company. This felt like a moment where being in a new country had benefits beyond seeing a new place; I had gathered with people from around the world, and we were forming relationships over exploring this new place and experience together. It was a moment where I truly understood the benefits that come from stepping out of your comfort zone.
The most valuable lesson I learned from my time in Copenhagen is how to collaborate under pressure. In Copenhagen, the concept of hygge is extremely important to their culture. There isn’t a direct translation for this word, but it’s best described as “cozy” or “the absence of anything annoying.” Our faculty, even as deadlines approached, were diligent in their lunch and dinner breaks. They were never frustrated, scrambling, or irritable in times of stress. They made an effort to ask about our days before beginning schoolwork. When deadlines loomed and stress levels rose, the panic in my chest often led to quick actions and mistakes, and many other American students experienced this same pattern we’ve practiced our entire lives. When deadlines approach, it’s go time. There isn’t time for hygge or friendly formalities; efficiency is key. This approach was met with great distaste from our faculty, who often helped the calmer students first. This naturally raised stress levels more until I noticed the pattern I had locked myself into, and I did my best to maintain a calm attitude each day, even as our workshop deadline approached. Sure enough, all 30 chairs were completed. Our faculty guided us calmly and beautifully, and I found great strength in this style of leadership. The Danish do not reward stress, and this leads to a fruitful and efficient collaborative process I hope to use in my future profession.