Innovation & learning - A multifunctional building that will make the students think! - Dalum Agricultural College in Odense.

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Lars Skinhøj at ARK + developed this multi-space-building at Dalum Agricultural College. The project is a study in innovation and learning, was completed in January 2018, and has been selected as a winner of the Build -2018 Architecture Awards: "Best Multi-Functional Building Design - Denmark".

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The project is based on creating a building that ideally can accommodate all the diverse and complex parts of the innovation process, but at the same time is a simple and clean space where light, air, and natural materials create clearness and overview. Here great thoughts can be created, and the ability to think outside the box can be fostered. The building is created for multi-functional use in different user scenarios. - For both innovation, learning, and presentation.

Innovation is not a linear movement from A to B, where you can specify each step in a process towards perfection. Innovation and creative development is a lot more messy and complex size, where hundreds of different aspects must be taken into consideration. Along the way, you must often reject an idea and start again but if aware and analytical, you will find yourselves hopefully better equipped to take the next step to think outside the box. This is essential learning for students all over. And even more in a future knowledge-society, where the sharp and progressive outperforms. The question is: Are our regular static classrooms optimal for this divergent and constantly changing process of education?

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For many years I have been working with different parts of concept development and innovation, It is only natural but still exciting to use this experience and knowledge in collaboration with a school like Dalum to create frames and spaces that support and promotes this process. "The future looks extra exciting when we have the tools to grab it.

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