Exhibition Reparative Ecologies
SPARK Malmø 08.03-05.04.2024


Titled Reparative Ecologies, Djernes & Bell's exhibition advocates for the transformative potential of repair and maintenance in confronting the pervasive challenges of overconsumption, pollution, waste, and degenerative practices within our built environment. Through site based exploration, the exhibition emphasises the radical yet gentle impact of ‘making good’ as a new form of practice where repair and maintenance are primary design generators and material transformation connect us to landscape and life.


Highlighted within the exhibition are three ongoing projects, each serving as a testament to Djernes & Bell's interdisciplinary approach. Central to all projects is a commitment to fostering a material ethic rooted in care, craftsmanship, and repair, nurturing environments where life can flourish, landscapes can thrive, and existing structures can be renewed.


Hedeskov Center For Regenerative Practice
As an extension to the 40 year long reforestation and regenerative land-use practice of the Hedeskov client’s, Djernes & Bell have designed an ambitious regeneration, restoration and transformation of the former rural school. Based on principles of regenerative agriculture the project uses both heritage building craft techniques and new post-carbon locally available materials to repair and revive the main school building and ancillary buildings. Realdania has supported the project in data-collection on hygroscopic and off- gassing of biogenic materials in a restoration context, as well as an architectural-anthropological study on whether the translation of the regenerative philosophy can be felt in the building. The site- based material audit and clay material design have been done in collaboration with Local Works Studio.


Harvest to House

Høst til Hus (Harvest to House) workshop was an investigation into the interface between agriculture and the built environment. In a hope of generating a new-narrative focussed on gentle land-use, material culture, carbon capture, ecological interconnectedness, deep-time and beauty. The seminar resultet in a short artistic film by Nicholas Brooks with narration by Emmy Laura Perez Fjalland and a cross-cultural thatched mock-up at Orbi Vraa. 



Syd For Solen Bio-Romantic Follies

Inspired by the romantic garden layout of Søndermarken and the park's former garden pavilions, Djernes & Bell designed the pavilions for the music festival, Syd For Solen. Djernes & Bell invited artists and craftspersons working with bio-based materials to communicate the possibilities inherent in increased sensitivity to material connectedness and bioethics. Reusable scaffolding structures and scaffold fabric, local thatching long-reeds, and soil from the nearby Frederiksberg Have were used to construct the pavilions.