IUR’s researchers involved in the Horizon project PREFIGURE that investigates housing and energy renovations in Europe will be hosting the traveling exhibition CORNER in Christiania during June 11-13.
CORNER will be open daily from 11:00, next to the Grey Hall in Christiania (and in the church if it rains). Across three days, the installation brings together local initiatives, international perspectives, hands‑on repair practices, guided walks and conversations about how communities shape the green transition.
Day 1: Thursday, June 11
Local initiatives on housing and energy. The future of the community.
12:00 | Opening of CORNER | Informal opening of the installation. Visitors can explore the space, meet the team behind CORNER, and get an initial sense of the themes guiding the Christiania edition: energy transition, housing renovations, community autonomy and everyday practices that shape them.
13:00-13:30 | Presentation of the Prefigure Project: Insights from Denmark | Short introduction to the Prefigure project and the role of CORNER as a public meeting space. Here, we will present the project’s different prototypes, with a special focus on key insights from Denmark, and how the initiatives in Christiania relate to broader current conversations on housing and energy.
13:30–15:45 | Panel: What is new for Christiania? Challenges, opportunities & overlaps between different housing and energy initiatives | A series of short presentations from Christiania residents and local actors. Topics include ongoing developments in energy infrastructure, the housing energy renovation scheme, the implementation of the Christiania energy masterplan & the upcoming renovation of the Grey Hall, transformation of the Pusher Street, as well as the development of new non‑profit housing units in Christiania.
The presentations will be followed by a moderated discussion where presenters together with the audience will also reflect on how Christiania is navigating long-term construction/renovation plans and arising tensions. Participants will explore the biggest challenges in realising current projects, identify overlaps between initiatives, and reflect on potential trade‑offs. The session is held in English.
15:45–16:15 | Refreshments & Informal Exchange | Break with refreshments, offering space for conversations, follow‑up questions and networking among presenters and the audience.
16:15–18:00 | Participatory Activity: Future Visions | Interactive session where visitors contribute their visions for future housing, energy transitions and community life. Through future‑vision mapping participants are asked to reflect on what matters to them and how Christiania’s future could unfold.
Day 2: Friday, June 12
Repair, reuse and everyday energy stories
11:00-13:30 | Corner Reopens: Future‑Vision Mapping & Energy Life Stories | Open Corner session with future‑vision reflections with people passing by and the opportunity to record short “energy life stories”. Feel free to come and tell us about your experience with energy!
11:00-12:00 | Guided Tour of Christiania (for invited guests) | A contextual tour introducing invited guests to Christiania’s history, governance, and ongoing energy‑related initiatives. The walk includes key sites relevant to renovation, infrastructure, and community projects, offering a grounded understanding of local practices.
12:00-13:30 | Networking lunch among the representatives of different energy communities | Lunch break among representatives from the three Prefigure prototypes. Participants exchange experiences, discuss shared challenges and explore opportunities for cross‑learning across Christiania, Øbro95 & KetelhuisWG.
14:30-16:00 | Window Restoration Session: Repairing instead of Replacing | Hands‑on session led by local expert Anna Tengberg. Through practical demonstrations, the session explores window restoration as a practice of repair, heritage care and sustainable renovation. Anna will show how craftsmanship and reuse can preserve both aesthetics and functionality and why repair matters in a world of rapid replacement.
16:00-17:00 | Guided Public Walk with Emmerik | Join us for a thematic walk through Christiania focusing on sociotechnical infrastructure and imaginaries, community governance and energy transition practices. We will even have a look at Christiania’s small-scale district heating system. Participants are asked to reflect on how infrastructures, DIY-culture and collective decision‑making shape everyday life. Meeting point: CORNER containers next to the Grey Hall. First come, first serve!
17:00-18:00 | Moderated Reflections after the Walk | Short reflection session where participants share takeaways from the walk, with the option to contribute future‑oriented visions or short reflections on community‑driven transitions.
Day 3: Saturday, June 13
Energy communities and our shared future
11:00-13:00 | Reopening of Corner: Low‑Threshold Activities | Drop‑in activities including future‑vision reflections & conversations, recording of energy life stories. Come and share your own experiences or listen to stories from other places in Europe!
12:00-13:00 | Guided Tour with Lasse | Join us for a free public tour focusing on Christiania’s history and built environment, renovation challenges and community‑driven solutions. Meeting point: CORNER containers next to the Grey Hall. First come, first serve!
13:00-15:00 | Public Roundtable: Energy Communities in the Green Transition | Representatives from three Prefigure prototypes: Christiania, Øbro95 & KetelhuisWG (Amsterdam) share their experiences of running and maintaining energy communities. Each presents their local context, legal frameworks, ongoing challenges and future ambitions. Researcher presentations complement the discussion, offering insights into the broader role of energy communities in the green transition, as well as what challenges they are currently facing. The session is held in English and open to the wider public.
15:00-15:30 | Break
15:30-17:00 | Future‑Vision Mapping & Energy Life Stories | Open Corner session with future‑vision imaginaries and the possibility to record energy life stories. Visitors can reflect on what a just and community‑driven energy future might look like.
17:00-18:00 | Corner Closing Reflections | Collective reflection marking the closing of CORNER in Christiania. Participants look back on the three days of activities, discussions and public engagement.
We hope to see you there!
