The Architecture and Extreme Environments course at the Royal Danish Academy takes a scientific approach in exploring the positive impacts of architecture, offering travel opportunities for site-specific design and collaborative projects.

Architecture and Extreme Environments aim to make a positive impact on the world, through experimentation, artistic exploration and with consideration to site and local culture.

The award-winning Master's programme is rooted in a site-specific approach, and tries to respond to present and future global challenges through research by design, fine-tuned site-specific strategies and active fieldwork.

Each year, students travel to remote world locations where one-to-one architectural prototypes are put to the test to inform and innovate building design at home and abroad.

In close collaboration with local communities, science and manufacturers, the Master's programme engages with testing new architectural sustainable approaches, from component to building design. It has a fair and considerate position towards designing for people and communities.

In 2022, the programme was awarded the UIA international prize for the most Innovative Architecture Master Programme.

There is a strong focus on site-specific design, achieving this through direct engagement and fieldwork to environments which are out of balance. These exceptional scenarios, be it flooding, extreme cold or heat, high pollution and health risk zones, to name a few, are used as test beds for an architectural design to be developed.

School: Royal Danish Academy
Course: Architecture and Extreme Environments
Type: Postgraduate
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Course dates: September 2026 to June 2028
Application deadline: 1 March 2026

Find out more about the course and apply ›

What will I learn during this course?

– Specialised skills in recording and analysing scientific data
– Learn how to use academic and scientific research methodology
– Designing with digital environmental simulation tools
– Architectural projects that respond to extreme environments at scales from building design to component

What are the requirements?

To be eligible to apply, applicants must have a bachelor's degree in architecture or architectural studies from a nationally recognised school of architecture.

This means that your degree must be recognised by a national architectural association or board as a degree that leads to a professional qualification as an architect.

What facilities and resources are available?

– Individual desk and space for studying and building models
– Teaching and exhibition spaces
– Extensive suite of labs and workshops available in person
– Print and photo labs for portfolio building
– Dedicated architecture and design library

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

As a graduate from the Architecture and Extreme Environments Master programme, students will be qualified and skilled to pursue a career within architecture in both Denmark and abroad.

Students will be equipped to work in both fields of practice and academia, in private offices as well as in research and educational institutions.

Who teaches this course?

– David Garcia, associate professor

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