Here is a banner with Danish text:

It describes an exhibition about architecture that can be seen at Danish Architecture Center DAC in Copenhagen until September 21.

I strongly recommend seeing the exhibition (perhaps not surprising since I am the curator of it). It attempts to bring a new take on architecture — not seeing it as a display of aesthetic objetcs, but as the channeling of flows through life.

The exhibition is as much in English as in Danish — all texts and videos are in both languages. On display is the work of the outstanding Danish studio Lundgaard & Tranberg and for of  their many buildings in Copenhagen.

The exhibition was created involving a lot of talented people contributing wonderful visions — a treat of sensory experience, huge models, drone photography, stereoscopes and running water. It is an eye-opening show — I hope. Go see!

Here is how the exhibition ins described at DACs homepage:

Architecture is not merely about beautiful buildings and eye-catching structures. Architecture is about creating settings for people’s lives and experiences: settings for the current of light, energy, substance and people, who are the very pulse of life.

This is the fundamental contention made by the writer, Tor Nørretranders, who has curated The Heart of the Stone, Danish Architecture Centre’s major summer exhibition, which looks at the work of the internationally renowned Danish architecture practice, Lundgaard & Tranberg.

The Heart of the Stone is not a classic architectural exhibition with a display of models of architects’ works. It is a diverse presentation, involving brickwork, images, texts, running water, mirrors, optical effects, computer models and poems, which will stimulate visitors’ sense of touch, spatial awareness, sense of depth, perception of time and scientific curiosity.

While the exhibition is of course about the work of Lundgaard & Tranberg, it also investigates the essence of the endeavours made by architects to create settings for the progress of life.

But the most fundamental aspect of this exhibition is that it is not located in the exhibition space. The experience provided by the galleries of the Danish Architecture Centre is intended to be an eye-opener, an introduction to an excursion around the city, and an opportunity to look at the buildings from the perspective engendered by the exhibition.

The exhibition is the third in Danish Architecture Centre’s exhibition series, Close Up.

MAD means food in Danish — and is also the name of the breathtaking and mindblowing annual global symposium for chefs arranged by Rene Redzepi and friends around restaurant noma, the world’s best restaurant.

I have had the unusual honour of giving talks all of first three symposia. These three talks have now been collected into a handy little package at the MAD blog called MAD feed.

New amongst the videos now collected by from MAD Food is my talk from last summer — it has been mentioned here earlier on this site, but not previously been available as video. Now it is. If you would like to watch 500 chefs tickle each other — here’s your chance. In the end I complain that they should tickle their guest’s more — on the inside …

You can compare this tickling exercise with chefs to the one done some years ago in Berlin with artists. You could ask yourself — which are the more ticklish professionals — cooks or artists?

What are the forgotten reasons to be concerned?

The wonderful annual question from the Edge website conducted by New York literary agent John Brockman brings together voices from the world of science and thinking about science to reflections on vital questions. This years question is “What should we be worried about?” – that is, what are the things that we do not worry about – but should.

Answers range from the lack of interest in politics amongst smart people (Brian Eno) over Magic, Physics, Viruses, Teenagers and Men. Several respondents touch upon the same worry that I pointed to: The future of human reproduction (Geoffrey Miller, David Buss, Kevin Kelly and more).

My contribution is here:

The Loss of Lust

We should worry about loosing lust as the guiding principle for the reproduction of our species.

Throughout history human beings have executed great wisdom in choosing partners for reproduction through the guidance of instincts and intense desire. Much of the aesthetic pleasure and joy we take from watching other members of our species is rooted in indicators for fertility, gene quality and immune system compatibility. Thus our lust holds considerable prudence.

When it comes to the number of offspring, we have now collectively managed to stabilize the world population by the middle of this century through decentralized decision-making. The demographic transition is not a result of scientific planning but of the biological cleverness of individual couples.

The stabilization of the population means that it is ever more important that the biological preferences expressed in lust dominate the reproduction since fewer babies are born and they will live longer.

Attempts to rationalize reproduction through biotechnologies and screening of eggs, sperm, partners and embryos will interfere with the lust-dominated process. It is worrying that this could mean the loss of an evolved expertise in survivability.

Also, the desire to reproduce leads to the advertising of good genes and general fertility through a cultural and societal display of skills and sexiness. These are major, if not dominant sources of the unconscious drive for creating great results in science, art and social life. Attempts to shortcut mating preferences and the matching process through clinical control could lead not only to a loss of quality in the offspring but also to a loss of cultural fertility.

Katinka Matson’s beautiful scan of a clematis decorates the Edge Question 2013 responses.