LETH & GORI are the receivers of The Henning Larsens Foundation’s prize 2020. The foundation, who grants funds every year on the founders birthday the 20th of August, motivates the prize to LETH & GORI with the following words:

The studio range far in its work, and in reality LETH & GORI is much more than a traditional architecture studio due to their particular way of working with architecture.
Alongside building up the internationally acclaimed studio, the two architects have also run “Absalongsgade 21B”, a gallery and exhibition space in Copenhagen, since 2011. Additionally, both teach at the Architecture School at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. 

The many ways in which LETH & GORI work with architecture; as practising architects, curators, communicators and teachers, testifies to an understanding of and perspective on the role of the architect as one whose main purpose is to create generous spaces for people and for something, and where architecture as a medium is unrestricted.

In the Henning Larsen Foundation, we haven’t been able to ignore the similarities between LETH & GORI and the practices of Henning Larsen himself; running a studio, a gallery (SKALA) and teaching. In a time where specialization and growth are in demand, but, unfortunately, also contributes to creating distance between practice, teaching, research and communication, the breadth and curiosity from which LETH & GORI’s work take its departure serve as inspiration for many, which the foundation wishes to honer and appreciation through this year’s award.

The Henning Larsen Foundation
The foundation is a natural extension of Henning Larsen’s interest in displaying and communicating architecture. The Henning Larsen foundation was founded by architect Henning Larsen in 2001 and has since handed out an annual award on the founder’s birthday on August 20th. Its purpose is to support a continued quality in Danish architecture. The award is granted by the jury which is comprised of art historian Lone Backe, MA, author Bente Scavenius, lawyer Niels Bang, CEO of the Danish Architecture Center (DAC), Kent Martinussen, and architects Troels Troelsen, Ingela Larsson, and Simon Ingvartsen, all from Henning Larsen.

Uffe Leth and Karsten Gori were celebrated at a reception on Thursday, August 20, in the King’s Garden of Copenhagen. The award is DKK 100,000.

Read the entire speech by the foundation here (only in Danish).

Image by Agnete Schlichtkrull.