ABOUT UiWE | CULTURE DESIGN UiWE is a Copenhagen-based cultural design agency. We create deep, rooted design solutions to social and cultural challenges – for cities, organisations and companies. Our core expertise is understanding and developing relations between physical places and social interaction. UiWE solutions include prize winning culture- and development strategies, urban design, identity and communication – often combined. The social and cultural aspects of urban planning are a special focus for UiWE. In our work we strive to unite site-specific qualities and resources with ambitious, original and valuecreating solutions. We call our approach ‘culture design’ because sustainable solutions stems from a holistic understanding of how people act, interact and communicate with one another. UiWE is directed by experienced cultural planner Christian Pagh working with a multidisciplinary team, uniting cultural professionals, architects and designers.
ABOUT CHRISTIAN PAGH | FOUNDING PARTNER & CULTURAL PLANNER MA in Modern Culture & Philosophy, Christian Pagh, founded UiWE in 2008 as a platform for uniting cultural thinking and design skills. Before starting UiWE, he coordinated the development of an ambitious cultural centre, The Culture Yard, in Helsingør, and worked as Professor in Cultural Planning at Malmö University. Urban planning is a recurring theme in Christian’s work, as well as user-oriented innovation and cultural communication. Currently Christian is engaged in philosophy, cultural theory and design thinking as Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School, as public speaker and as editor.
Company Info
Selected clients
www.uiwe.dk
Carlsberg Ejendomme
hello@uiwe.dk
Dansk Arkitektur Center Fonden Hornbæk Kunstmuseum
+45 26 38 06 06
Erhvervs-og Byggestyrelsen
Store Kirkestræde 1
Helsingør Kommune
DK-1073 Copenhagen K
Københavns Kommune Køge Kyst
Company registration number: 25 67 48 47
Københavns Internationale Teater
Bank: Danske Bank
Realdania Roskilde Festival
Founded: 2008 Staff 2012: 7
Styrelsen for Bibliotek og Medier
UiWE | SELECTED REFERENCE PROjECTS
CARlSBERG BREWHOUSE
Brand Centre Development | Proposal | 2012 Designed to host contemporary culture, Carlsberg Brewhouse proposed to offer the public a unique place to experience modern expressions of the Carlsberg spirit – rooted in Copenhagen culture, and thus relevant for the world.
BORdiNG viSiON
Transformation strategy | 2012 UiWE made a transformation strategy for the town of Bording in jutland, Denmark. We propose to cultivate Bording as green residential area, radically rethinking the plan and organisation of the town.
PEEBETTER
Rethinking public peeing | 2012 UiWE has put the challenge of peeing in public spaces on the agenda. Through the PeeBetter platform we present design solutions and ideas on how to address this banal problem that causes so much misery – not least for girls.
viBy COmmUNiTy BUildiNG Development plan | 2010 Together
with
Arkitema,
Effekt,
Viggo
Madsen
Ingeniører and Center for Idræt & Arkitektur, UiWE won a master planning competition for Viby Syd, a socially challenged residential area outside of Aarhus.
CREATiNG A NEW NEiGHBOURHOOd Urban design | 2010
UiWE won an invited competition to design temporary urban spaces in the new neighbourhood of Carlsberg. Our project turns selected squares in this unique, former industrial area into places where visitors can both hang out and be physically active.
UiWE | Selected reference projects
A City Designed for Life Cultural planning | 2011
Together with Carl Bro | Grontmij, Polyform, 2+1, Ekstrakt and Oxford Research, UiWE won the second prize in the Køge Kyst competition. The task was to develop a 24 ha urban area around an attractive former industrial harbour of Køge.
Roskilde social lab
Urban idea generation | 2010 Roskilde Social Lab worked to find new solutions to social challenges in cities using the Roskilde Festival – the biggest festival in Northern Europe with some 110.000 people involved – as a living lab.
Workshop for partnerships Faclitation | 2009
UiWE and Changedesign worked closely with Erhvervsog Byggestyrelsen (Danish Business Authority) on the design of OPS_09 – an ambitious seminar workshop with some 80 managing directors from Danish municipalities, regions and private companies.
Køge kulturhus Cultural analysis | 2011 Together
with
Vandkunsten
and
Lean
Design,
UiWE made a feasibility study about location and programming of a cultural house in Køge for Køge Kyst and Køge Kommune.
Anthology: Changing Metropolis Via Design, Metropolis Biennale | 2008
The anthology “Changing Metropolis - introducing artistic and creative strategies in city making” combines artistic, practical and theoretical perspectives on urban planning. The contributors are international and Danish artists, urbanists, architects and planners.
Carlsberg brewhouse | Brand Centre Development involvement PREQUAL COMPETITION PRODUCTION CULTural strategy Concept development Client Carlsberg Collaboration Arthesia | EFFEKT LOOP Associates | Niras
RETHINKING THE BRAND CENTRE Together
with
Arthesia,
EFFEKT
A platform fOR contemporAry culture Architects,
The essence of the New Carlsberg Brewhouse is allowing
Loop Associates and Niras engineers UiWE was
a visitor’s centre to react to trends and user interest in
amongst the five selected teams to propose content
more dynamic ways. Designed to host contemporary
and profile for a new brand and experience centre
culture, Carlsberg Brewhouse offers the public a unique
for Carlsberg. The ambition was to create a world-
place to experience modern expressions of the Carlsberg
class tourist destination. Rather than a traditional
spirit – rooted in Copenhagen culture, and thus relevant
brand centre we proposed to create a dynamic
for the world. Though the competition was won by a more
culture house designed for ever-changing quality
classical proposal from American office Ralf Applebaum,
content. The concept was to establish a platform
our proposal was the Copenhagener’s favourite in the
where consumers could enjoy contemporary
popular vote both online and at the public exhibition.
culture and sports powered by Carlsberg – not a uniform, static representation the past.
See the whole proposal at www.uiwe.dk
bording VISION | Transformation strategy
involvement INVITED PRODUCTION Strategy | URBAN PLANNING Client Ikast-Brande Kommune Realdania Collaboration Tom Nielsen | Jakob Ă˜ster
TRANSFORMING A TOWN UiWE made a transformation strategy for the town of Bording, a some 3000-person town in Jutland, Denmark. Having lost its status as a regional shopping town, the question arises: what is the profile and direction for a town like Bording? We propose to cultivate Bording as residential town, radically rethinking the plan and organisation of the area. This entails a greening of the town that connects the urban areas to the surrounding landscape as well as a broad palette of other initiatives enhancing the urban and landscape qualities. We focus investment and planning resources in the town center and open up for a productive urban landscape with urban gardening and wild nature. Future urban developments are planned close to the town centre, but still connected to the landscape. Furthermore our proposal features a variety of organisational strategies such as activating leftover land, introducing a local market building, and involving the school in the town development. Ikast-Brande Kommune and Realdania are now developing UiWE’s proposal further together with the work of two other Danish planning offices, Metopos and Transform.
PEEBETTER | RETHINKING PUBLIC PEEING
INVOLVEMENT SElf iNiTiATEd PRODUCTION CONCEPT | dESiGN CLIENT mUNiCiPAliTy Of COPENHAGEN ROSkildE fESTivAl COLLABORATION SARA NANNA | NUAlA COlliNS
A lAB foR A pEEvoluTIoN UiWE has put the challenge of peeing in public spaces on the agenda with the platform “PeeBetter – human solutions in public space”. Through the PeeBetter platform we present design solutions
PEEBETTER and UiWE bring you a world premiere:
A new female urinal. Pollee is a touch-free urinal for peeing in a semi-squat position. Come pee and tell us what you think!
and ideas on how to address this banal problem
PEEBETTER ASPIRATION
that causes so much misery – not least for girls.
PeeBetter Labs at events like Roskilde Festival and
PEEBETTER is dedicated to making easier Distortion in Copenhagen enables users toit try new to PEE in PUBLIC SPACE. With Pollee weʼve tried to make a simple solutions, comment and share ideas. PEE SOLUTION for GIRLS. As fans of peeing in the outdoors, we wanted Pollee to be LIGHT and FRESH. With a few small touches weʼve made it a bit more COMFORTABLE and private than just dropping your mAKING puBlIC SmART trousers. WeʼvepEEING made Pollee a shared TOUCH-FREE urinal, because most girls prefer that. Our hope is that Pollee becomes a QUEUE-KILLER, girls toPollee get the peeing In 2011 UiWE designed the enabling female urinal over and done with quickly, and move onto the more together with designers Sara Nanna and Nuala Collins. IMPORTANT things in life. The aim was to address the problematic conditions
facing girls at festivals and public events. In 2012 we present a new version of Pollee as well as “Simple P” - a new urinal for men that is inserted directly into the
www.peebetter.dk
sewer. These unique peeing concept enables fast, efficient and easy peeing-options for both sexes.
VIBY community building | DEVELOPMENT PLAN
involvement PREQUAL COMPETITION, 1. place PRODUCTION CULTURAL STRATEGY Client Viby Syd | Århus Kommune Collaboration Effekt | Arkitema | Viggo Madsen | CIA
Rethinking a challenged community
Cultural strategy for urban spaces
Together with Arkitema, Effekt, Viggo Madsen
UiWE were responsible for cultural strategy and
Ingeniører, and Center for Idræt & Arkitektur UiWE
participation design for the project. We put special
won a master plan competition for Viby Syd, a socially
emphasis on enhancing the social infrastructure,
challenged residential area outside Aarhus. The
linking public spaces in the residential area with
plan combined a sustainable renovation of the worn
local institutions. A core element of our entry was
seventies building blocks, a conceptual landscape
the design of outdoor recreational and educational
project and a cultural strategy to support identity and
spaces shared by the school and the residents.
community life.
Creating a new neighbourhood | Urban design involvement INVITED COMPETITION, WINNER PRODUCTION CULTURAL STRATEGY | URBAN Design PLANNING Client Carlsberg | Realdania The Danish Foundation for Culture & Sports Facilities | City of Copenhagen Collaboration Keinicke & Overgaard Arkitekter Primus Arkitekter & Streetmovement
Enabling a lively neighbourhood
Play like you’re at home
UiWE won an invited competition to design
At UiWE our focus was creating new ways for
temporary urban spaces in the new neighbourhood
people to use the area, dividing different types of
of Carlsberg with architectural office Keinicke &
traffic and users using simple graphic elements
Overgaard. Our project turns selected squares
and urban furniture. An ambition was to enable
in this unique, former industrial area into places
people to feel at home in this industrial area. We
where visitors can both hang out and be physically
aspired to enable people to redesign the area over
active. UiWE were responsible for the overall
time (as in your own home), making the urban
planning of the area and designed two squares:
furniture movable and flexible.
“Under the Pentroof” creates a unique, playful urban space with some 3200 ropes. Plads E hosts
Carlsberg urban design was presented at the
a café, new urban signage, places to sit and play.
Venice Biennale 2010.
A city designed for life | Cultural planning
involvement PREQUAL COMPETION, 2. PLACE PRODUCTION CULTURAL ANALYSIS | PLANNING Client Køge Kyst Collaboration Carl Bro | Grontmij Polyform | 2+1 IDEAS AGENCY Ekstrakt | Oxford Research
Culture driven masterplan
Tools to sustain identity
Together with Carl Bro | Grontmij, Polyform, 2+1,
UiWE
Ekstrakt and Oxford Research UiWE won the
and programming. We designed a strategy
second prize in the competition Køge Kyst, the
for sustaining a creative development and
development of 24 hectare urban area around
participation culture as well as a range of
the attractive former industrial harbour of Køge.
development tools designed to sustain identity
Our project promoted urban life with culture as
and character of the area.
was
involved
in
cultural
mapping
driving force. Our aim was to bring together short term and long team perspective in the planning
The proposal won the second prize in the
process, enhancing the unique qualities of the
competition. UIWE are now consulting Køge in
area’s different neighbourhoods.
cultural planning matters
Roskilde Social lab | UrbaN IDEA GENERATION
Involvement SELF INITIATED PRODUCTION DESIGN | COMMUNICATION | EXHIIBTION Client Roskilde Festival | Region Zealand Collaboration Changedesign | Emil Tin
solutions to social challenges
Making participation simple
Roskilde Social Lab worked to find new solutions
Our design is based on the belief that simplicity
to social challenges in cities using the Roskilde
and sexiness is the key in making people engaged.
Festival – the biggest festival in Northern Europe
The project worked with smart phones, using QR
with some 110.000 people involved – as a living
codes on the exhibition panels, allowing people
lab. The lab included an exhibition, presenting
to rank, comment and share ideas. We believe that
social innovations from all over the world, inspiring
small innovations of everyday can solve great social
the audience to propose their ideas to improve the
challenges. The key is developing new feedback
festival and the world. The intention was to invite
loops that make the redesign of everyday life easier.
people to participate in developing new solutions - as a practical, political project.
The Danish minister of Social Affairs visited Social Lab. The Lab has continued as a part of Roskilde Festival.
Workshop for partnerships | PROCES DESIGN
Involvement INVITED BID PRODUCTION Process design | facilitation communication Client DANISH BUSINESS AUTHORITY Collaboration Changedesign
CROSS-SECTOR IDEA DEVELOPMENT
MAKING IT REAL
UiWE and Changedesign worked closely with
Our ambitions for the workshop was getting beyond
Erhvervs- og Byggestyrelsen (Danish Enterprise
politics and talk and enable real, problem-oriented
and Construction Authority) on the design of
dialogue. Our work included process facilitation, visual
OPS_09 – an ambitious seminar workshop
design, and film production all aiming at making idea
with some 80 managing directors from Danish
generation and sharing knowledge as immediate as
municipalities, regions and private companies
possible. The output of the workshop has been inte-
as well as the Danish minister of Economic and
grated in the government strategy for public private
Business affairs. The aim of OPS_09 was to
partnerships.
qualify the government strategy on public-private collaboration.
Køge kulturhus | Urban PLANNING Involvement Consultancy PRODUCTION Cultural analysis | strategy Client Køge Kyst | Køge Kommune Collaboration Vandkunsten ARCHITECTS | Lean Design
Analysing location and program
Content focus
Together with Vandkunsten and Lean Design,
Our delivery included a range of recommendations,
UiWE made a feasibility study about location
best practice examples and directions for the
and programming of a cultural house in Køge for
future development of the cultural centre. Our
Køge Kyst and Køge Kommune. We considered
studied showed that in town context like Køge, it
the cultural aspects of location, content and
makes sense to concentrate the cultural program
development process in the light of best practice
to ensure synergies and concentration of urban life.
in Denmark and abroad.
Furthermore, it’s crucial to rethink the categories of traditional institutions in the light of new cultural trends and user patterns.
CHANGING METROPOLIS | ANTHOLOGY Involvement INITIATOR PRODUCTION CONCEPT | ANALYSIS | EDITING Client Metropolis bIennale Collaboration VIA DESIGN
ARTISTIC PRACTICE anD planning
good examples + theory
Founder of UiWE Christian Pagh, edited the
The discourse about urban planning often gets fluffy.
anthology “Changing Metropolis – introducing
That’s why we attempted to merge concrete, inspiring
cultural and artistic actions in urban planning”
examples with strategic and theoretical perspectives.
with VIA Design. Changing Metropolis addresses
The book thus combines reflections on contemporary
the connections between urban planning and
urbanity with practical art and planning projects.
artistic practice. The ambition was to combine
Amongst the contributors are a range of international
urban and cultural planning reflections with
and Danish artists, urbanists, architects and planners
hands-on creative solutions and art projects.
such as Charles Landry, Atopia, Fantastic Norway,
Changing Metropolis was published as a part of
Juul|Frost Architects and Rimini Protocol.
the Metropolis Biennale. www.cph-metropolis.dk