Architecture News Plus (ANP) – Architecture and Design Magazine

Bosch & Fjord

Profile of Bosch & Fjord, headquartered in Denmark. Five projects submitted by Bosch & Fjord have been published on Architecture News Plus (ANP).

: [L-R] Rosan Bosch and Rune Fjord Jensen – © Laura Stamer

Principals

Rosan Bosch
Rune Fjord Jensen

Brief description

Since 2001, Rosan Bosch and Rune Fjord Jensen have worked together under the name Bosch & Fjord. Our work revolves around art as an active part of society. Our projects brush the concept of art as we explore the meaning of art by physically placing it in relation to other systems and contexts, for example in a company like LEGO, in the public city space or at a school, such as Ordrup School north of Copenhagen. At the same time, we challenge our own role as artists. The projects translate thoughts and opinions to reality and contribute to a multifarious art scene. Art no longer lies outside everyday life but is a necessity in life, here and now.

What art does:

Art is a social and cultural necessity that enhances the quality of life and creates a free space in society. That is why our projects are very action-oriented – they turn ideas into reality, a living part of people’s everyday life and environment. Bosch & Fjord’s projects are very different but one common denominator is that they use art as a means of creating new relations and experiences for people by exploring and designing private and public space. To us, the key point is not what art is but what art can do.

A unified concept of art art, architecture and design:

Bosch & Fjord works with art as a unified concept where design and architecture are used as tools. Our work often interferes with existing structures instead of creating autonomous objects, and the final form is the result of a concept, a strategy or a process rather than a stylistic idiom. This does not mean that the physical form is not an important part of the projects; on the contrary, materials, colour and form are essential aspects of our work. It is the projects’ physical form that translates thoughts into reality and makes it possible for them to be experienced and become a part of everyday life. The projects do not necessarily result in a tangible outcome; the outcome may also be the development of a concept and a process. The results are projects where art has a function, and design has meaning.

Contextual approach - Undercover Art:

Bosch & Fjord’s projects are developed in close collaboration and dialogue with the users and the place. The projects might be referred to as Undercover Art, as they are often not experienced as art in their daily function. Art slips into everyday life as a natural part of the function and identity of the organisation and place where the projects have a profound influence on people’s everyday life. One example is the design of the main library in Hjørring, where concepts and design recast the role of the library in society, for example by implementing a 500-metre red structure that grows and winds its way through the library as a work of art, a book shelf, and a table. The design challenges and poses questions. The projects influence the way we act and think, and they change their environment, for example the organisation, the working methods or the learning situation. The user, colleagues and other factors play an essential role in the design of the project, and thus, they are not static fixtures.

Published projects

: KUA Try-Out Lab by Bosch & Fjord Is it possible to study in a hammock and does exquisite design belong to a university? Asking the University of Copenhagen, Amager, (KUA) and Bosch & Fjord the...

: Hjørring Central Library by Bosch & Fjord Bosch & Fjord’s vision for a future library has become a reality in the new shopping mall in Hjørring, the Metropole, designed by schmidt hammer lassen...

: Lego Office Space by Bosch & Fjord LEGO Group in Billund is a creative, multinational working place. By inviting Bosch & Fjord to design their development department LEGO acquired an interior...

: Plug and Play Office by Bosch & Fjord For Innovation Lab’s new space at the IT University of Copenhagen, Bosch & Fjord created a furniture system based on the premise of ‘innovation’, that...

: Ordrup School by Bosch & Fjord At Ordrup School in Gentofte, Denmark, Bosch & Fjord have rejected the traditional design of school interiors and instead created varied rooms with space for...