The workshop addresses a shift in architectural practice toward approaches that are creative, resourceful, and grounded in the everyday. Through hands-on making, participants explore what it means to work with ordinary and discarded materials, treating design as a form of alchemy. Each year, three international practitioners (architects, artists, or designers) are invited to lead the workshop. Working with their own methods and experience, each leader guides a group of participants through a collaborative process of spatial experimentation. The format encourages close exchange between participants and leaders, moving between making, talking, eating together, and observing the city. The workshop concludes with a shared exhibition presenting the work produced throughout the week.
The workshop is open to people in architecture, design, or art who are in an early-to-mid stage of their studies or practice. As a general guide, we look for applicants with at least two years of experience, whether studying or working, and typically up to those completing a master's thesis or capstone, or who have recently finished a master's degree. We are not looking for established professionals with several years of independent practice. You do not need to be currently enrolled at a university. Applications are open to those between degrees or between professional experiences. There are 50 places available. Selection is based on motivation and intent, as described in your application.
Each year we invite three practitioners with teaching experience, hands-on material knowledge, and an awareness of the ecological questions facing the field. During the application, you are asked to indicate your first, second, and third choice of workshop leader. Participants are then divided into three groups of roughly 15. You will work alongside your workshop leader throughout most of the programme. On the final day, all three leaders come together as a review panel, giving each participant the chance to present their work to the group as a whole.
The workshop runs for 7.5 days. The structure includes two days of orientation and preparation, four days of intensive hands-on work, and a final day of reviews and open conversation. Productive working sessions are balanced with quieter moments: time to reflect, move through the city, and engage with the ordinary. All participants follow the same overall schedule. Within that shared structure, each workshop leader sets their own themes and methods, creating three distinct experiences running in parallel.
Bring clothes you can work in. The process involves dust, fabric, wood, and improvisation. We share limited information in advance, intentionally. The goal is for everyone to arrive on equal footing, working from instinct rather than preparation. The workshop values iterative responses over finished ideas, and spatial sketching over precise drawings. Mistakes are part of the process. The outcome of the week is genuinely open. Each participant shapes their own experience within the framework their workshop leader establishes.
The workshop takes place in Copenhagen, near the campus of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. The building offers generous interior and open floor space, giving participants room to work at scale and engage directly with the physical environment. Materials and tools are provided on-site.
Applications close on Friday, 5 June 2026 at 23:00 CEST. Applicants will be notified on Monday, 22 June, with participation confirmed by Monday, 6 July. The suggested arrival is Wednesday, 12 August 2026. The workshop runs from Thursday, 13 August until Friday, 21 August 2026. The suggested departure is Saturday, 22 August 2026.
The attendance fee is 180€. This covers lunch on each full workshop day, as well as five communal meals shared across the week. It is the only cost charged by the programme. Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to and accommodation in Copenhagen. By submitting an application, you confirm your commitment to paying the fee if selected.
The workshop is conducted in English. There is no formal language requirement or proficiency check, a working level of English is sufficient to participate fully.
The workshop is an independent programme and we are unable to assist with visa applications or related processes. We can provide an invitation letter confirming your participation upon request. Applicants are responsible for their own visa requirements and arrangements.
Please email paraplyschool(at)gmail.com if you have any questions during the application process. We look forward to receiving your information.