portfolio 2019-2021
wahlenanna92@gmail.com +45 28511292
My name is Anna Wahlén and I recently graduated from The Royal Danish Academy and the program Urbanism and Societal Change. My degree is specialized in urban and strategic planning, as well as architectural design and research, working with a wide range of physical scales. Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, I have grown up and lived in many parts of the world including the Netherlands, Kenya, France, Ghana and Denmark. To live in, and be part of different cultures and communities is what has shaped me into who I am today and has created a deep interest in the formal and informal production of public spaces and living environments. In 2018 I worked as a junior architect at the multidisciplinary office SLA in Copenhagen. As part of the competition team, I learned to work at a very high pace, working on several projects a month, developing concepts, drawings, and visuals for landscape and urban strategy projects. I was quickly given more responsibility in the team, and after only a few months I was able to co-lead a project in Motala, Sweden. As a board member of Architects Without Borders Denmark since 2019, I have had the opportunity to work on and be part of several different projects in Nairobi, Kenya, Maputo, Mozambique and Freetown, Sierra Leone. During 2019 I worked full-time as the architectural lead for the housing and land rights project ‘Casas Melhoradas’ in the informal settlement of Maxaquene in Maputo. The position included being the on-site project manager for the construction of the project, supervising construction workers and engineers. I was able to be part of the whole architectural process, from sketching initial ideas to technical drawings, managing the construction, to seeing the response of the new residents. My diploma project is an exploration of the extensive multilateral infrastructure investments that are changing the city of Nairobi at a tremendous speed but tend to only favour a small part of the city’s inhabitants. The project explores how the planned large-scale road project Missing Link 12, connecting the main east-west arterials in Nairobi through the informal settlement of Kibera, can be reprogrammed to better fit the context and the needs of local residents. Working with productive public spaces, flooding prevention and increased mobility. My passion is rooted in my interest and commitment to helping shape a more sustainable environment and society. The opportunity to learn from and see first-hand how innovative and collaborative projects like yours, can change and improve the future of its inhabitants and surroundings is why I am applying to this position. I am also inspired by working in diverse teams and I have been fortunate to be part of teams with varied areas of expertise and background. My experience is that this has undoubtedly elevated the capacity of the team and really taught me the strength and benefit of working in a group environment. I believe that with my educational background in architecture, urban planning and environmental politics as well as work experience from both urban architectural practices and non-profit organizations, I would bring a unique perspective and set of skills to your team. Looking forward to hearing from you, Anna
CV Education 2015-2021
The Royal Danish Academy - School of Architecture Master of Arts (MA) in Architecture Urbanism and Societal Change
July 2021
The Architectural Association, London Summer school program Unit 7
2014
Culture Studies, Cape Coast, Ghana University level Environmental Studies
2013-2014
Nyckelviksskolan, Stockholm University level General Art, Crafts and Design
2011-2012
L’Institut Catholique de Paris University level French language
2009-2010
Swedish School of Nairobi, Kenya High School Social science & international relations
Computer skills Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign AutoCad Rhino Sketchup Enscape 3ds Max V-Ray QGIS Word, Xcel, PowerPoint Google applications After Effects & Premier Pro Revit
Languages Swedish - native language English - fluent Danish - fluent French - intermediate Dutch - basic Swahili - basic
Work experience May 2019-current
Architects Without Borders, Denmark Board member & Architect. Project manager for housing, land rights and community building projects in Mozambique and Sierra Leone. Administering of funding applications and budgets.
Jan 2019-Sep 2021
Aarstiderne, Copenhagen Translator & Digital content creator. Part of the editorial team translating text from Danish to Swedish. Assisting the communications team, managing social media accounts, responsible for photography and copy.
Jan-Sep 2019
Casas Melhoradas / Royal Danish Academy, Maputo / Copenhagen Lead architect, project manager & research assistant. Project and site manager for the construction in Maxaquene, supervising construction workers and engineers.
Jan-Dec 2018
SLA, Copenhagen Junior architect, competition team. Worked closely together with architects and landscape architects on competition proposals in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Canada.
Oct 2016-Mar 2017 Jan-Aug 2015
Dissing+Weitling, Copenhagen Model builder & student assistant, competition team. House of Radon, Stockholm Assistant set and kitchen stylist for commercial productions for Electrolux and Arla.
Exhibitions & Competitions Aug-Oct 2021
Europan 16, Living Cities - Metabolic Vitalities ‘Varberg For Life’, collaboration with Inga Skjulhaug
Oct-Dec 2021
70% Less - conversion to a viable age, Royal Danish Academy ‘Post-preserved Landscapes’, collaboration with Inga Skjulhaug
Jun-Aug 2021
Solutions - Graduate Exhibition, Royal Danish Academy ‘Missing Link #12’ solutions2021.kglakademi.dk
Sep-Oct 2019
Informal Horizons, Arkitekter Uden Grænser Organizer and curator
Mar-May 2018
AFRICA: Rethinking Architecture, Royal Danish Academy ‘Creative cultural center’
Missing Link #12 USC - Thesis project 2021 Extensive multilateral infrastructure investments are changing the city of Nairobi at a tremendous speed but tend to only favor a small part of the city’s inhabitants. The development is being realized without regard to physical context and worsening the mobility for already vulnerable citizens. The city is developing with two opposing visions: to construct 8-lane highways through the inner city, and to make the city greener and more friendly to non-motorized transport users. Missing Link 12 is the infrastructural project to connect the main east-west arterials in Nairobi through the informal settlement of Kibera. The 60 m wide road is designated for long-distance travel to and increase the connectivity of the city, yet completely ignores the consequences of displacing residents and hindering movement within Kibera. The mega project highlights the issue of exclusion and inclusion of various communities, one blocked by a new border, a second boosted by high-speed travel. The project explores how the planned large-scale infrastructural project Missing Link 12, connecting the main east-west arterials in Nairobi through the informal settlement of Kibera, can be reprogrammed to better fit the context and the needs of local residents. Working with productive public spaces, flooding prevention and increased mobility. The project has been developed with the help of Daniel ‘Futwax’ Owino Okoth, a musician, community leader and resident of Kibera, exploring the site through his eyes, stories and knowledge.
The flat roof meets the slanted landscape and allows for the buildings underneath it to take different heights. The building opens up towards the waiting matatus and becomes part of the market space
Strategy, original drawing 1:1000, 1000x600 mm The key principles for the project are to implement urban runoff and wastewater infrastructure, to create new meeting places in the intersections, work with green infrastructure to prevent flooding, prioritize nonmotorized transport users and public transport, and create new school clusters Cross-sections along the road, 1:500
The buildings have underground systems with both clean rainwater tanks, water tanks for drinking water that guarantee water use during days without municipal supply Septic tanks are placed under the toilets that also enhance soil permeability Soil bricks and compressed earth create comfortable, safe spaces for street vendors and provides new business opportunities to existing shop and bar owners Small-scale agricultural operations can be a source of income generation and food security, growing popular vegetables The rain from the night before is still visible in the swales while people are walking to school or taking a matatu to work
A new clubhouse FANT / Architects Without Borders 2021 FANT - Football For a New Tomorrow is an organization with branches in Denmark and Sierra Leone. The organization is working together with Architects Without Borders to upgrade Murray Town’s Football Club’s football pitch, grandstand and to build a new clubhouse for the players and their families. The project aims to appeal to, and include young women and girls and to create a safe environment for them to be in.
Existing conditions of the football field in Murray Town The small office overlooks the changing rooms and the outdoor gathering space Spectators standing in line to see the football game
Post-preserved Landscapes Distributing the National Park USC - Spring semester 2020
Collage of Rådhuspladsen, a new pliable landscape
The project is an exploration of the complexity and problematics of nature preservation, investigating the relationship between human and non-human natures. At the centre of the climate- and biodiversity crisis is our narrow and separatist view of ‘nature’ and static conservation practices. Challenging these conventional methods, the project explores ‘shared territories’, shifting the idea of nature preservation as closed-off zones, to an integrated part of urban and productive landscapes. The new regional strategy of Eastern-Jutland opposes the dominance of monocultural cultivation by creating new biodiversity corridors. In an urban context, the project proposes a re-articulation of Rådhusparken in Aarhus. Exploring a design that is beyond normative aesthetics, we are asking what role the architect and urban planner can have when confronted with more-than-human processes and a new hierarchy in the organization of public space. New boundaries and topography create different territories as well as new spatialities, celebrating weeds, spontaneously growing plants and a new messy vegetation. The project was developed together with Inga Skjulhaug.
Strategy plan East Jutland, original drawing 1:150.000 on A0 Aerial collages of the monocultural agriculture landscape changing over time
Section of plan 1:200 Movement on the site, existing conditions New elements are placed on the site according to existing movement patterns, in order to create overlapping zones with varying layers of maintenance Human and nonhuman movements create daily disturbances, making it dynamic and in constant change
Element models, creating new dynamics between species, bacteria and humans New biotopes that improve biodiversity and shape the boundaries and elements Collage, giving space to more than human processes A film was created for the project that was exhibited at the Copenhagen Architecture Festival live stream
Concrete Reprogrammed USC - Autumn semester 2020 Could you imagine a world without concrete? Due to the massive climate effects of the production of concrete, we suggest to instead use the building materials that are already here. The project focuses on a transformation of the vacant concrete blocks of Aalborg Hospital. The project was developed together with Nina Christine Hansen, Olivia Thomsen and Inga Skjulhaug.
Site plan of the transformed hospital buildings and area 1:1000
Shared housing - a new family home The new material library with storage facilities National strategy of a new material distribution in Denmark
Built fabric Railroads Train stations Primary (critical) infrastructure Aalborg Portland Silos owned by Aalborg Portland Infrastructure distributing materials to be reused maintaining critical infrastructure (connecting the silos) (train) Material infrastructure (ferry) Material infrastructure (road system) Building material distribution by train Building material score: High Building material score: Medium Building material score: Low Municipalities with highest expected growth New local material logistic centers 6 % uninhabited dwellings (Aalborg) 5 % uninhabited dwellings (Aalborg) 4 % uninhabited dwellings (Aalborg) Train station proximity of 20 km
0
25
50 km
Model of existing conditions, 1:200 Section and plan of the new material library, workshop and housing on the southern part of the site, 1:200
Informal Horizons Architects Without Borders - Exhibition 2019 Exhibition and research publication about urban development and land rights in East Africa together with Johan Mottelson, PhD., and Architects Without Borders Denmark. The publication was published on the occasion of the exhibition with the same title at the The Royal Danish Academy Library and was later moved to the Architecture School in Aarhus. The exhibition featured a condensed adaptation of the publication along with films and physical models. The material was displayed on an exhibition framework built of recycled plastic, linking to the plastic waste experiments of the Casas Melhoradas project. The configuration of the exhibition framework emulated the spatial structures of informal settlements, providing the experience of walking through the narrow alleys characterizing such urban environments.
Exhibition opening, guests moving through the narrow construction Model of the informal settlement Antohomadinika in Antananarivo, Madagascar Exhibition in The Royal Danish Academy Library, constructed with recycled plastic beams and OSB boards
Casas Melhoradas Copenhagen/Maputo 2019 The project demonstrates a new model for low-rise, high-density courtyard housing typologies. The project includes four dwellings on a single-family plot as well as a shared courtyard with an old mango tree and balconies with outside kitchens. The design features a green recreational roof terrace, including concepts for rainwater harvesting and a kitchen garden built with recycled plastic beams. The design includes wires stretched diagonally across the facades where plants can grow. The project demonstrates new approaches to densifying the city, increasing biodiversity and improving the microclimate. The housing prototypes discuss central themes related to the ongoing extensive urban development in the region, such as compact city development, construction techniques and livelihood. The project was developed together with Johan Mottleson, PhD.
The new housing typology taking shape under the old mango tree
Plans, elevation and section of the new housing typology Photos from the construction site in Maxaquene B
Valby Co-Social USC - Autumn semester 2019
Section model of the new shared housing
Across Europe, the rehabilitation of large-scale estates built during the mid20th century, is a common concern, with current living conditions in many of these now a far cry from their idealistic origins. The problems of the buildings vary from country to country and the reasons for their declining state are numerous. Some buildings have been lacking proper maintenance and management for many years whereas other suffer larger issues of construction layout, essential design and urban integration. Demolition of these modernistic and post-war buildings was for a long time seen as the only way to renovate an area and create real change. However, many buildings are still in use today, often for social housing. In addition, today land is scarce, particularly land in central areas. Therefore, there is a need to realize the potential of the existing building stock and improve its long-term use in a sustainable way, as wholesale removal is not viable or desirable. In social housing renovation in Denmark today, there is a tendency to do as little as possible, where adding an elevator is enough to qualify for state subsidy. We believe that there are other possibilities when renovating, and that to improve the standards of social housing we need to also create socially sustainable communities. To create a successful community, the architecture must allow for a collective space, where the residents can meet, create and share. In our project we are combining cooperative living with social housing, creating a new type of affordable housing with the premise of sharing spaces and facilities. We aim at both increasing the amount of affordable housing and enhancing the quality of existing social housing. This is done by integrating some of the qualities of cooperative living. The result of this will be both more affordable housing, and more attractive social housing areas where people will wish to live, thus creating more socially sustainable areas in the long- term. We believe that cooperative living in social housing can be an antidote to social isolation and loneliness and not only make life affordable but also enable a better and more sustainable life for residents. The project was developed together with Elise Schultz.
Facade collage studies Photo of model, 1:100
Thanks for taking the time to look through my work! If you want to know more about me, please contact me at: wahlenanna92@gmail.com +45 28 51 12 92