
BLOX Unpacked
From Let's Talk Architecture by Danish Architecture Center – DAC
January 29, 2026 · 31 min
About this episode
This episode explores the story behind the BLOX building in Copenhagen, discussing its design, purpose, and evolution over time.
When BLOX opened in 2018, it divided opinion. Designed by OMA as the home of the Danish Architecture Center, the building was unlike anything Copenhagen had seen before, bold, complex and unapologetically different. In this episode, host Michael Booth is joined by DAC CEO Kent Martinussen for a guided tour of BLOX, as the centre prepares an anniversary exhibition marking 40 years of DAC. Together they unpack the story behind the building: the unusual architect selection process, Rem Koolhaas' vision of architecture as urban infrastructure, and the idea of BLOX as a city within a city. Moving from harbour -level plazas to dramatic interior spaces and rooftop terraces, the conversation explores how BLOX has evolved from controversy to everyday use , a flexible, lived-in building where culture, work and city life intersect. Guest: Kent Martinussen, CEO, Danish Architecture Center Host: Michael Booth Let's Talk Architecture is a podcast by Danish Architecture Center. Sound edits by Munck Studios.
People in this episode
Host: Michael Booth
Guest: Kent Martinussen
Topics covered
- architecture
- urban infrastructure
- BLOX
- Danish Architecture Center
- Copenhagen
- cultural spaces
Keywords
- BLOX
- Danish Architecture Center
- OMA
- Rem Koolhaas
- urban infrastructure
- Copenhagen
- architecture controversy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Danish Architecture Center, OMA
Places: Copenhagen
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