The renovation of the building that houses the Christiania Researcher in Residence (CRIR) has reached a point where, while not finished, the future additions and updates are no longer necessary to use and enjoy the house. This is the result of a collective effort underway for almost 10 years, which has been documented throughout.
The process began by involving local kids to hear their thoughts on the old house and ideas for a new one. Their ideas fed into workshops with former CRIR residents and users to formulate a building brief – or as we called it, “5 Obstructions.” here.
The original house was a classic Christiania building based on an old moving truck that was added to over time – see an analysis here.
The renovated CRIR house was built at a time when Christiania has agreed with the Danish state to “legalise” the Freetown, which also means new buildings require building permits like all others in Denmark. A project funded by the Danish Arts Foundation explored how this added bureaucratic layer impacts a built environment so closely linked to the social and political culture of Christiania, or Baukultur – more here
Below is a collection of images from the house on a beautiful day in summer 2026.
