Kursusprogram 2026

Language

English

Lecturer(s)

Natalie Körner and Aisling O'Carrol (then: assistant professor in landscape architecture, ETH Zurich)                                                                        

Course description 

The course is for PhD students who use architecture and landscape architecture history in their PhDs. We will discuss sources, methodologies, and ways in which history can be activated for present-day concerns. The students will get a reading pensum and they will have to give 15–20-minute paper presentations.

There will be 2 lectures: First, Natalie Körner will speak about combing architectural and archival sources (letters, court cases) to get a better sense of past models of inhabitation. Natalie Körner will show how she has used and made reconstruction drawings and how she is making sense of present-day concerns (especially linked to digital culture) by relating them to architecture historycases.

Aisling O'Carroll will talk of her methodology of using reconstruction in landscape architecture, using a variety of source material, artistic media and methods. 

Participants will use one of the provided pensum texts in their papers. The pensum will form the theoretical foundation of the course, and ensure common ground for discussion, even when the individual PhD topics are quite different.

Dates

9-10. April 2026

ECTS

3 

Application deadline 09-03-2026

via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php

Language

English

Coodinator(s)

Nicolai Bo Andersen, Lars Rolfsted Mortensen and Victor Boye Julebæk

Course description 

The course addresses the systematic collection of data and use of empirical material with a particular focus on photography and phenomenological method. The photographic image is the focal point as a tool for registration and documentation, as a medium for visual communication as well as an independent artistic form of presentation. The course concerns the theoretical foundation, methodological approaches and practical skills in relation to using the image as empirical evidence and visual communication.

The purpose of the course is to qualify the academic legitimacy and quality of the use of images for data collection and research communication. The course is broadly aimed at research students from architecture, design, conservation, philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, geography, engineering and other research fields within the humanities and social sciences. The focal point is a common interest in the use of photography as empirical material and form of communication, including the associated philosophical theories, phenomenological methods and hands-on, practical approaches.

The course is structured around lectures with the participation of invited guests, discussions based on the compendium texts, practical exercises and individual presentations of a homework assignment in the form of a selection of photographs, phenomenological descriptions, reflections and discussions – preferably related to one's own PhD project. This can, for example, be as part of documenting places and people, taking registry of objects and works of architecture, selecting and curating images for research or the systematic visual presentation of observations.

Selected texts are included in a compendium designed specifically for the course. The course is theoretically rooted in aesthetic philosophy and hermeneutic phenomenology as well as selected artistic positions. In addition to the 2x3 course days, 2x4 days of preparation in the form of text readings and text presentation and 2x3 days of homework in the form of a (visual and textual) phenomenological presentation is expected – all corresponding to a total of 5 ECTS.

Dates

18-20 February + 18-20 March, 2026. 

ECTS

5

Application deadline: 25-01-2026

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php

Language

English

Lecturer(s)

Michael Asgaard Andersen and Solmaz Sadeghi

Course Description

CARE, as a critical and post-structural methodology, offers an urgent and necessary lens for researching the human condition in relation to policy, environment, technology, and science. It moves beyond traditional associations with health to address issues of gender, equality, privacy, sustainability, conservation, and the infrastructures that shape our daily lives. This course explores care as a theoretical and methodological approach in architecture, design, and related fields, to rethink relationships, practices, and ethics across disciplines.

Care is not just concern; it is action, connection, and responsibility. It transforms how we think, build, relate, inhabit, behave, and sustain, urging us to imagine otherwise. Drawing on foundational works by Joan Tronto, María Puig de la Bellacasa, and Annemarie Mol, alongside architectural and design theorists, we will examine how care operates across scales, from intimate domestic spaces to urban infrastructures and planetary systems. The course particularly considers how care practices challenge dominant ideas of authorship, agency, expertise, and temporality in design processes.

PhD students will write a short essay and present on the theme of CARE in relation to their research. Valuable essays may be further developed into a scholarly publication, potentially as part of a book project.

This course is enriched by a dedicated Chair Session titled CARING for AGING, led by the course coordinators, at the European Architectural History Network (EAHN) Conference, to be held in Aarhus in 2026.

Course dates

20-22 May + 12 June, 2026. 

ECTS

3

Application deadline: 10-04-2026

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php

Language

English

Lecturer(s)

Anders Hermund, Henrik Oxvig and Jacob Bang + invited key note lecturers

Course description
The course Discussing AI: Architecture, Art, and Research introduces AI as a potential collaborator in the creative process. Taking a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, it brings together artistic, scientific, and philosophical perspectives to explore the role of AI in creative research and practice.

Emphasis is placed on discussion and critical reflection on both the possibilities and challenges of AI, including its broader societal implications. The course investigates how AI can act as a tool that complements and enriches human creativity, rather than replacing it. At its core is a re-evaluation of creative methods in light of AI’s fusion of digital and analogue approaches, drawing inspiration from, for example, Heidegger’s reflections on space and place.

Through hands-on exercises involving photography, physical model-making, written descriptions, and AI-generated content, participants will explore the process of translating between visual, analogue, verbal, and digital modes. The course invites reflection on the nature of the creative process, comparisons between analogue and digital expression, and discussions around AI’s role as a 'creative generator'.

The aim is to better navigate the AI era with a nuanced and critical understanding of the ethical, creative, and societal implications of emerging technologies. Participants will be introduced to key concepts in generative AI, machine learning, philosophy, art, and the practical use of creative AI tools.

Dates
23-27 February, 2026.

ECTS

3

Application deadline: 15-01-2026

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php

Language

English

Lecturer(s)

Henrik Oxvig, Associate Professor, IABL
Martin Søberg, Associate Professor, IAK

Other Lecturer(s)

Ulrik Schmidt, Associate Professor, Roskilde University. The course is organised in collaboration with Roskilde University, Department of Communications and
Arts.

Course description 

Exploring New Materialism: Time explores the ideas and concepts of New Materialism and their implications for current theory, criticism and practice in the fields of architecture, design, art, the humanities and social sciences. Thwe course places particular emphasis on materialist perspectives on time and their potential to inform ontological, epistemological, ethical and aesthetic inquiries and to stimulate specific theoretical and empirical investigations of materiality and material artefacts.

How do different temporalities shape and influence the conditions for subjective, social and environmental being? How can we comprehend the material manifestations of – for instance – the past and the future; of slowness, speed and acceleration; of human and nonhuman becoming; of simultaneity, synchrony and their opposites; of global and planetary time; of chronological, repetitive, cyclic and durational time; of time management; of generational, periodical and epochal time; of boredom and overload; of time as capital; of instant time, deep time, endless time and the end of time? Grounded in readings and discussions of key texts by contemporary thinkers on materialism, the course aims to support the integration of ideas and perspectives from, or related to, New Materialism into students’ own research, with particular attention to time and materiality. The course includes a lecture by an invited international speaker.

Dates

12-13 Nov + 26-27 Nov, 2026. 

Four all-day sessions including reading sessions and master class.

ECTS

3

Application deadline:

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php

Language

English

Lecturer(s)

Distinguished Professor, University of Seville; Norman Foster Institute; Gæsteforsker, Royal Danish Academy.

Course description 

This course is available at 13 universities worldwide and has attracted over 350 doctoral candidates. It is designed to support individuals engaging in design research or aspiring to academic careers, focusing on three key goals:

1. Designing and organising a Ph.D. thesis and
   academic publications.
2. Establishing strong research methodologies
   and techniques, particularly in Architecture
   and Design, while ensuring applicability across
   various scientific domains.
3. Manage the thesis process, coordinate relationships with stakeholders, and communicate research effectively to create impact in academia and society.

The course's first focus is designing and structuring a Ph.D. thesis. A central tool supporting this process is a graphical framework, which helps participants organise their research logically from the introduction to the conclusion. This visual structuring approach strengthens the internal coherence between research questions, methodology, results, and discussion. The course addresses both monographic and paper-based Ph.D. formats, offering specific techniques to either develop a unified dissertation or structure a series of interconnected articles according to academic standards. Participants learn how to shape a thesis or a portfolio of papers that is methodologically consistent, thematically integrated, and academically rigorous, establishing a clear intellectual trajectory across their research work.

The second pillar of the course is developing robust research methodologies and techniques. Building on the structured thesis framework, participants explore a diverse range of methods suited to contemporary architecture and design research. These include research by design, qualitative and ethnographic approaches, grounded theory, mixed methods, case studies, simulation modeling, digital twins, parametric analysis, historical analysis, speculative design, experimental prototyping, environmental performance simulation, and participatory action research. Participants are guided in selecting, adapting, and combining methods to align with their research questions and design goals. Emphasis is placed on methodological innovation and scientific rigor, enabling participants to craft research strategies that are both discipline-specific and adaptable across broader academic contexts.

The third major component addresses thesis management, stakeholder coordination, and dissemination
for impact. Participants receive practical guidance on
initiating research processes, managing revisions, balancing deadlines, and collaborating effectively with
supervisors, academic peers, and external stakeholders
(including industrial Ph.D. frameworks). Special attention is given to preparing for the final defence and strategically managing the different phases of doctoral
work. In parallel, the course explores dissemination
techniques to maximize research visibility and relevance. Participants learn to optimise their work according to academic impact metrics (citations, journal publications, grants) and to extend their influence
beyond academia, making their findings relevant to
society, industry, and policy-making arenas.

By structuring the course around these three interconnected pillars, participants are equipped with a cohesive and transformative framework to generate highquality research and successfully navigate their academic and professional careers.

Dates

13-17 April, 2026.

ECTS

4

Application deadline: 11-03-2026

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php

Language

English

Lecturer(s)

Dag Petersson

Course description 

Through this course, students obtain insights in the fundamentals of academic research practices. Particular focus is on crafting a proper academic object, formulating a good problem statement, structuring one’s data collection, and getting a first grasp on method, theory and analysis. This introduction is primarily for Ph.D.-students from the art, architecture, and design schools, aiming particularly at those who are in the early phases of their projects Teaching is based on the participants’ individual project descriptions. No previous experience with academic production is expected. The goal is to critically identify each project’s inherent academic requirements and preferred strategy, and to help students meet the established academic criteria and standards from early on.

Participants should upload/submit their full Ph.D. project description and project plan ahead of the deadline.

Dates

12-16 January 2026.

ECTS

3

Application deadline: 12-12-2025

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php

Language

English

Lecturer(s)

Sissel Olander, Associate Professor, Royal Danish Academy.

Other lecturers

Eva Brandt, Ph.D., Docent, KEA.
Anne Louise Bang, Ph.D., Docent, VIA University College.

Course description 

How can you build experiments into your research project and dissertation work? How can you develop stronger connections between the practical possibilities for setting up experiments in your project and your overarching research interests and questions?

This PhD course explores such questions through the lens of research-through-design, with a particular emphasis on research programs and how various practices of making – often described and understood as experiments – play a key role in the development of new knowledge. The course draws on both Scandinavian and international developments in research through design and introduces different ways of theorizing and setting up experiments as an integrated part of the research process.

The course is structured around a two-day symposium, followed by a one-day seminar. The symposium combines lectures introducing different theoretical perspectives on experimentation with dialogue-based workshop sessions, where participants work with their own projects. For the seminar, participants will prepare and present a focused account of their own research approach, emphasising the role of experimentation, based on the theoretical and conceptual tools introduced during the symposium. The presentation – developed in the period between the symposium and the seminar – will form the basis for feedback from peers and instructors, providing clarity and direction for the ongoing doctoral work.

The course requires preparation through a selected set of readings and preparatory work for presentations at the seminar. Participants will give and receive feedback throughout, both in group settings and one-to-one. By the end of the course, participants will have developed a stronger understanding of how to theorise and construct experiments that can lead to valuable research contributions.

Dates

Symposium: 11-12 May, 2026.

Seminar: 20 August, 2026.

ECTS

3

Application deadline: 13-04-2026

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php

Language

English

Lecturer(s)

Isak Worre Foged and Phil Ayres

Course description 

Materials are an embedded part of design thinking, design experiments and design making, both in academia and industry. They also form a central leverage point in the transition to a sustainable society, and a core aspect of how we develop experiential phenomena for our design targets. 

We engage with materials constantly, but how do we study materials, material processes and material representations in architecture and design research?

This course focuses on illustrating and debating research strategies and methods for material studies in architecture and design. This implicates the forming of a dual research platform of both quantitative and qualitative investigations that enable new insights across the design scales.

The course is structured around two activities: 1) A course preparation period, where participants review literature and develop assignments, and 2) a mixed seminar/workshop where invited speakers and participating PhD students will present and discuss research approaches, followed by a workshop on how to advance the methodological approaches of the student specific projects. 

Dates

Mixed Seminar and Workshop: 12-14 August. 2026

ECTS

3

Application deadline

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php 

Language

English or Danish (if only Danish speaking PhD students sign up)

Lecturer(s)

Jonna Majgaard Krarup

Course description 

Because of the Green Transition and the Grønne Trepart Danmark faces a landscape transformation process not seen since the Forest and Agricultural reforms in the late 17th century. Like the transformation process then, the current process is argued through economical, technological, ecological and philosophical ideas and conceptualizations. Technological innovations and new economical thinking were then a co-designing agent in forming the current Danish landscapes which now are going to be transformed due to agendas on climate change, biodiversity, Co2 emissions, geopolitical considerations etc. 

Many of these ideas and concepts then and today thus originated in other disciplines than for example landscape architecture but have nevertheless impacted both landscape architecture and the landscapes themselves. Through a specific lens – landscape architecture research – a more general question on how to understand, transfer and implement ideas and concepts coming from other disciplines and spheres into for example architecture?

How do concepts migrate, how are they transformed, mediated, translated and implemented?

The course is organized as a colloquium and depends on the active participation of the participants, which includes a written essay for this course and an oral and graphical introduction (slide presentation) of one of the course texts and its impact on own research, along with discussions and feed back in plenum.

Participants must produce a pre-course written introduction (500 words) of their PhD-thesis topic and themselves in applying for the course.

The course is divided into two parts: a first part with presentations of the course, its thematic, and the participants own research thematic, and a second part presenting the course assignments and feed-back sessions (peer-to-peer), why there will be a slip of approx. 2-3 weeks in-between the two parts to prepare the individual course assignments.

Dates

17-18 Nov + 9-10 Dec, 2026.

ECTS

5

Application deadline

https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php 

Language

English or Danish (if only Danish speaking PhD students sign up)

Lecturer(s)

Connie Svabo, Ph.d., professor, centerleder, Institut for Matematik og Datalogi, SDU.

Silje Alberthe Kamille Friis, Ph.d., lektor, Institut for visuel design, Det Kongelige Akademi.

Other Lecturer(s)

Lars Bang Jensen, Associate professor at VIA University College

Course description 

This course offers introductions to, exercises in and reflections on the methodological approaches of practice–based research with a particular focus on arts– and design-based research.

A common challenge in academic research is how to mitigate between various forms of knowing. How may practice-based knowing be accounted for academically? This question addresses the relationship between research and practice - and is relevant for practitioner-researchers from across a range of fields: artists, designers, communication professionals, journalists, administrators, teachers, nurses etc.

The course introduces a cluster of methodologies which all interrogate doing in research. These methodologies are arts-based research, design research, research-creation, action research, performance as research and practice as research - and they all explore the entanglements of making, doing, and knowing in academic work

From this broad contextualization, the course zooms in on arts- and design-based methodologies and provides each participant with the opportunity to work tangibly and concretely with his or her own practice as research, for instance by visualizing, drawing, designing, embodying, modelling, and writing. Exercises will be tangible and concrete, and we will employ props such as photographs, visual and physical artefacts in processes of making and translating knowledge.

Students will, among other things, gain insights into the methodologies of practice–based research, be capable of analysing and discussing the specific advantages and challenges of applying practice–based research approaches in a PhD project and, develop an understanding of and strategies for how practical experience can be integrated into academic knowledge production.

Dates

16-18 september, 2026.

Venue

Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen.

ECTS

3

Application deadline

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php 

Language

English 

Lecturer(s)

Kirsten Marie Raahauge, Associate Professor at the Royal Danish Academy

Other Lecturer(s)

Danielle van den Heuvel, Professor at Utrecht University

Natalie Koerner, Associate Professor at the Royal Danish Academy

Suzi Pain, Assistant Professor at the Royal Danish Academy

*Danielle van den Heuvel will be giving a public
lecture parallell to the teaching at the course. 

Course description 

Seen through an architect's drawing, interiors appear as clear, organized spaces that can be described objectively and inhabited or used according to clear rules. The real inhabitation of these spaces, however, is much more convoluted. The way furniture is arranged, the placement of objects and clutter, personal spatial configurations, as well as the inhabitation of real people, result in the traces of a multitude of events, uses and scenarios. It is often the small details that make a big difference to the people who inhabit, imagine and use the rooms.

The purpose of the course is to explore interiors as versatile, ambiguous and complex phenomena. Through social history, architectural history, design, art and anthropology, multifaceted, and even sometimes paradoxical aspects of interiors will be unfolded. We will discuss how such phenomena can be grasped and comprehended without the complexity of the topic negating a genuine and rigorous analytical discourse.

Several examples will be presented, forming the basis of the course and these will be studied through academic texts. In addition, we will take an excursion to two museums where interiors are reconstructed in disparate ways to further inform our discussion: the Open Air museum and a local museum of dolls houses. Participants are asked to submit an image and a draft paper describing examples of versatile interiors that will be discussed in a group format. Two central questions will be addressed:

• How can interiors be comprehended in all their complexity?
• How can the ambiguity of interiors be framed through the proposed theoretical perspectives?

Ideal notions of the perfect, smooth efficient home are met by the pragmatics and contradictions of reality. Expensive renovations portend dreams that may not come true. Tableaus that mimic the hotel room or point to castles and manors become something else in everyday use and wear. Ambiguities between dream and reality and between use and imagination are negotiated between the objects and spaces of the interior. Although we will study several types of interiors, including a series of historic interiors the major focus of the cases will be the home.

The course will study a multiplicity of interiors. These will include examples of hoarder homes, homes with glossy surfaces and white walls, haunted homes, artist’s homes, dolls houses as well as home workspaces. Furthermore, the course will focus on design principles in historical interiors, i.e., within the early modern period, and their relation with the present. Topics such as diffuse or limitless boundaries of space and cases where the exterior, urban space and landscape are drawn into the interior are discussed.

Dates

3-6 Nov, 2026.

ECTS

5

Deadline for submission of text + image: 15 Oct. 2026

Application deadline: 1 Sept. 2026

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php 

Language

English 

Lecturer(s)

Thomas Harboe

Course description 

The road to a PhD can feel long and challenging for both the student and you, the supervisor. The complex relationship between you requires more than just academic expertise. This course provides you and your student with the tools needed to create a meaningful and effective PhD supervision process that fosters job satisfaction and ensures high quality.

What You Will Learn

We will start with the everyday challenges you face and dive into the dynamics between supervisor and student. The course isn't about finding one best practice, because every relationship is unique. Instead, we focus on expanding your repertoire of pedagogical approaches so you can navigate different situations and create a trusting space for academic development.

The course is for both PhD supervisors and PhD students from the Royal Danish Academy. Over two days, you will learn to:

• Master different roles: Learn to switch between being a mentor, facilitator, sparring partner, and more, depending on the PhD student's needs.
• Give motivating feedback: Practice giving feedback that not only points out mistakes but also helps the student grow.
• Handle challenges: Get concrete tools for managing typical challenges in the different phases of the process.
• Strengthen well-being: Learn to spot signs of stress and well-being issues, and how to best address them.
• Use peer supervision: Discover how you and your colleagues can use each other to develop your supervisory practice.

Practical Information

• Target Audience: All PhD supervisors and PhD students at the Royal Danish Academy.
• Preparation: Before the course, you will be asked to describe your experiences with PhD supervision.
• Format: The course alternates between presentations, discussions, and practical exercises. Course materials will be shared on the course's learning platform.
• Instructor: Thomas Harboe, Chief Consultant and PhD with over 30 years of experience.

This course is your opportunity to strengthen your skills and create a more effective and enriching PhD journey.

If you have any questions about the course or registration, please feel free to contact us.

Dates

Monday, 9 March – 0900-1500. 

Tuesday, 10 March  – 0900-1500.

 (Lunch: 1145).

ECTS

3ECTS

Application deadline: 9-2-2026

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php 

Language

English 

Lecturer(s)

Bodil Hovaldt Bøjer, Christina Reedtz Funder and Camilla Hedegaard Møller.

Course description 

This course equips participants with the competencies to plan, implement, and evaluate teaching in architecture and design education.

Through a combination of example lessons, discussions, hands-on activities, rhetorical exercises, peer feedback, spatial exercises, and reflective practice, participants will explore and apply pedagogical principles and learning design strategies relevant to architecture and design education.

Participants will actively reflect on their own teaching choices, exchange feedback with peers, and engage in broader discussions on teaching and learning in higher education.

Assessment: The course is passed based on active participation.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Design teaching activities using active learning principles grounded in constructivist and architectural and design education theories.
• Develop and align intended learning outcomes with teaching and assessment strategies.
• Apply diverse teaching techniques with rhetorical confidence to enhance student engagement and learning and overall motivation.
• Critically reflect on and communicate instructional choices based on pedagogical theories and practical experiences.
• Provide constructive formative feedback.
• Reflect critically on teaching design and delivery to enhance future practice.
• Include spatial features to support teaching activities. 

Dates

21-22 April + 27-28 May, 2026.

ECTS

Application deadline: 20-03-2026

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php 

Language

English 

Lecturer(s)

Joana Silva, Associate Professors, Institute for Conservation, Royal Danish Academy.

Course description 

This course offers an introduction to the process of writing and publishing peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. Participants will explore various article types, gain insight into the peer-review system, and examine examples of published scientific work.

The structure and components of a scientific article will be introduced through lectures. A substantial part of the course is dedicated to self-directed study and independent work, including the development of a manuscript on a topic of the participant’s choice. This manuscript will be presented and discussed in class for peer feedback. Participants should expect to spend approximately five hours of preparation for each hour of instruction.

Dates

9th, 14th, 23rd, 30th of September and 7th of October 2026.

ECTS

5

Application deadline

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php 

Language

English 

Lecturer(s)

Gustavo Ribeiro, Associate Professor, The Royal Danish Academy and Jonathan Metzger; Professor, Division of Urban and Regional Studies, KTH, Stockholm.

Course description 

In this course we will look at the role of ideology in urban discourse and policy formation. The course will draw from publications where post-foundational (Ernesto Laclau & Chantal Mouffe) and Lacanian theories, notably through the work of Slavoj Žižek, have been used to gain insight into how different ideological positions underpin urban development and urban policy making. In addition, the course will problematize the gap between discoursive practices and concrete spatial interventions – in other words we are interested in exploring the gap between what is said and what is done in urban development practices.

The participants will be asked to read a selected biography prior to the start of the course. They will also be asked to prepare a 10-15 min. presentation concerning a reflection on the theme of the course and its relevance for their Ph.D. work.The course programme will include a masterclass by KTH professor Jonathan Metzger. The course will include an opening lecture by Associate Professor Gustavo Ribeiro, introducing the theme of the lecture based on his own publications and teaching.

Dates

2 November - 6 November, 2026. 

ECTS

3

Application deadline

TBA via https://katalog.kglakademi.dk/phdtilmeld.php