Arts Thread

Or Hoyben & Alejandro Mata Zenteno
Strategic Design & Entrepreneurship

Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design and Conservation

Specialisms: Architecture / Design Research / Interior Architecture

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

or-hoyben ArtsThread Profile
Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design and Conservation

Or Hoyben & Alejandro Mata Zenteno

Or Hoyben & Alejandro Mata Zenteno ArtsThread Profile

First Name: Or Hoyben &

Last Name: Alejandro Mata Zenteno

Specialisms: Architecture / Design Research / Interior Architecture

Sectors:

My Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

University / College: Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design and Conservation

Course / Program Title: Strategic Design & Entrepreneurship

About

Graduates of the Strategic Design and Entrepreneurship, our studio focuses on utilizing design tools and methodologies in confronting complex issues. As architects and designers, we believe in the power we have to observe, investigate and confront current ways to bridge over competing agendas and find common ground to benefit the society, the economy and the environment. This, we believe, is the key for a sustainable future.

By 2050, all EU buildings must achieve carbon neutrality, yet 70% currently operate inefficiently. In Denmark, single-family houses represent the biggest challenge. They make up 41% of the housing stock, with only 9% meeting future requirements. Current renovation rates fall drastically short of 2050 targets, while existing solutions fall short, as they treat buildings as static objects, overlooking the people living in them. Our work proposes reimagining houses as dynamic living systems that evolve through seasons, time, and personal needs. Applied to a representative 1960s house, we present a holistic approach that embraces circularity principles and transforms inhabitant behavior, moving beyond technical fixes to create truly sustainable and resilient architecture.