The International Architecture Awards by The Chicago Athenaeum recognize outstanding global architectural, showcasing contemporary design trends and excellence in architecture and urbanism. We at Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter are proud to announce that The House of Grain "Kornets Hus", a center for the dissemination of the region’s rich food and farming culture in Jutland Denmark, has been awarded in the category of Exposition Centres this year!

Norwegian architecture enriches the Danish grain landscape

Jørn and Inger Ussing Larsen have for many years been passionate about organic farming and reintroducing old Nordic grains. With the help of Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, they have now built an experience center for grain, food culture and activities.

The Danish couple wanted to highlight the grain's historical significance for society and people. They also wanted an education and dissemination center devoted to today's global challenges of food supply.

Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter was invited to participate in a limited, international architectural competition to design Kornets Hus. They won the assignment with "a Norwegian look at Danish landscapes and building traditions".

Neighbour with mill, bakery and grain

The architects sat down with local enthusiasts, farmers, bakers and historians to get to know the region's landscape, temperament, people and traditions. Throughout the project, the architects emphasised being present locally and having a close dialogue with clients and important interest groups.

Kornets Hus was built in a cornfield, closely linked to a facility consisting of a mill, farm and bakery. It is a project in the borderland between landscape architecture, urban planning, industrial design and architecture.

The visitor centre unites Norwegian idioms and Danish countryside. The cultural landscape forms both the prerequisite for and the extension of Kornets Hus. Since opening in December 2020, the center has been filled with exhibitions, courses, teaching programs and other activities.

Farmers and architects love the place

Kornets Hus has become a focal point for locals and schools, and an attraction for visitors. Architects have made pilgrimages here, as have farmers and others with an interest in organic and biodynamic cultivation. This has had both cultural and economic repercussions for the local population, and Kornets Hus is referred to as a role model project in Danish media. The project was also nominated for the prestigious architecture award, Mies van der Rohe in 2022.

As a result of the high visitor numbers, the architects have also developed an outdoor facility, Kornets Hage (the Garden of Grain) , specifically aimed at families with children and school students.

About The International Architecture Award®

Since 2004, The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, along with The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and Metropolitan Arts Press, has been organizing The International Architecture Awards.

This event aims to recognize outstanding new buildings, landscape architecture, and planning projects worldwide. The awards highlight the work of prominent architects, landscape architects, and urban planners on a global scale. The purpose of these awards is to showcase the current aesthetic trends in commercial, corporate, institutional, and residential architecture to industries like real estate, banking, business, and the public. The program serves as a crucial educational outreach initiative for the museum's international audience, and it is dedicated to celebrating excellence in architecture and urbanism from a global perspective. The awards emphasize innovative design processes that align with contemporary design thinking.