Heidi Svenningsen Kajita

Kort præsentation

I am an architectural researcher working for social change in everyday spaces. Focusing on the history and transformation of welfare state housing areas, my research deals with users’ everyday practices, normative frameworks for the built environment, and architectural paperwork.

Revealing techniques for combining social and technical expertise, I activate archives, documents, oral histories or other memory material that record often uncomfortable architectural histories of landscapes, buildings and structures  associated with marginalisation. The challenge of dealing with pasts, presents and futures of socio-ecological transformation is complex, and I therefore link architectural history, creative practice, and ethnographic strategies to situate  perspectives and needs of different actors and ressources.

Current and recent projects:

*The EU Horizon project INNATURE (2025-29) co-creates five diverse NBS demonstration cases across Europe (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Romania, UK) that are inclusive, beautiful and sustainable, the three key pillars of New European Bauhaus. The project and demo cases are co-created and co-led by a collective of interdisciplinary researchers, ecologists, artists and designers, community and volunteering organisations, SMEs and cities. For more info see: https://www.innaturecollective.com/

* In the project Klager i praksis [Complaints in Practice], I question how architectural disciplines can make better use of social housing residents' sincere complaint and care labour. This creative practice research is funded by the Danish Arts Foundation and Dreyers Fond (2022-24). Link to film (13:19 min): Klager i praksis

* Between Technologies of Power and Notions of Solidarity: A Comparative Response to the Danish “Ghetto plan” and Swedish “utsatta områden”, is an independent project with the research group Aktion Arkiv. Funded by ARQ Stiftelser and Sweco to produce two witness seminars and a publication. Read and download here: https://arqforsk.se/05-2020-between-technologies-of-power-and-notions-of-solidarity-the-danish-ghetto-plan-and-swedish-utsatta-omraden/

* In the project (Im) possible Instructions: Inscribing use-value in the architectural design process, I activate archival research and ethnographic fieldwork strategies to develop caring techniques for new (speculative) practices (DFF/ Independent Research Fund Denmark GRANT_NUMBER: 9032-00006B - IPD).

* Practicing Materials, postdoctoral project funded by KTH School of Architecture, Stockholm (2019).

I was visiting fellow at Newcastle University (2019-23) and member of two NOS-HS networks on welfare state architecture and landscapes. Currently part of the broader network around MatrixOpen: Curating a feminist digital archive project. 

I am active in Aktion Arkiv/Action Archive – a group of researchers and artists using collaborative methods and formats, such as witness seminars and exhibitions, to publicly bring together diverse actors around urban cultural, historical, and political issues. Also a member of the Society of Artists, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

I have taught landscape architecture, urbanism, architecture and art at universities in Denmark, Sweden and the UK since 2001.

For more info see personal website: www.bureaus.dk