Projects per year
Personal profile
Curriculum vitae
Anne Elisabeth Toft
Bio
Anne Elisabeth Toft, architect and PhD in architectural history and theory, specializes in architectural representation. Her PhD dissertation (2006) theorizes on architectural photography and the relationship between architecture and photography. Toft is an associate professor with tenure at the Aarhus School of Architecture. She has participated in group and solo exhibitions on architecture and architectural photography in Denmark and abroad, and she has lectured and taught at several international universities and schools of architecture.
Toft has curated exhibitions on architecture and photography, and she has written about architecture, architectural education, architectural photography, and the visual arts. Co-curator of Photobook Week Aarhus since 2014, the first photo festival in Denmark devoted to the photobook and its discourse, she is responible for the festival's architecture related programme. Toft is the editor of Questions of Representations in Architecture (Arkitektskolens Forlag, 2015, with Christina Capetillo).
Toft’s work as a researcher, teacher, and curator focuses on architecture and its representation. She is particularly interested in the epistemology of architecture, scopic regimes, and didactics, and also in the way photography and photobooks mediate architecture. Other key interests include artist’s books and the mediality of architectural exhibitions, archives, and collections. Her research draws on inspiration from many different disciplines, and it operates with an expanded concept of discourse where methods and theories are brought in from architecture, the visual arts, philosophy, psychology, visual culture, critical theory, and cultural analysis.
Toft has been a member of the council of the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE) and editor of the EAAE News Sheet. She is a member of the European Society for the History of Photography, a member of the international research committee for the iphi awards, and a member of the jury of the Danish Society of Artists (2017-2020). Furthermore, she is on the editorial board of the Nordic Journal of Architectural Research (NJAR). Since 2015 she has been president of the Nordic Association of Architectural Research (NAF/NAAR).
From 2021-2024 she will lead the international research network The Representation of the Welfare City, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (IRFD).
Curriculum vitae
CURRICULUM VITAE (short version)
Anne Elisabeth Toft, associate professor, architect MAA, PhD
Educational Background and Academic Appointments
1996
Graduated in architecture from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Department 3E, Copenhagen, Denmark
1999–2001
MÜLLER & TOFT – an experimental laboratory for architecture, Copenhagen
1996–2001
Teaching assistant and academic assistant at Aarhus School of Architecture
2000–2010
Editor of the EAAE News Sheet (European Association for Architectural Education)
2001–2005
PhD fellow at the Institute for Architecture and Aesthetics, Aarhus School of Architecture
2004
Consultant for VELUX (project employee): VELUX Award: Light of Tomorrow
2006
Awarded a PhD degree in architecture based on the thesis:
Architecture and Photography: A Study if the Relationship between Presentation and Representation
2007–2009
Assistant professor at Aarhus School of Architecture
2009–present
Associate professor at Aarhus School of Architecture
Guest Lecturer and Guest Critic
Invited guest lecturer and guest critic at various institutions in Denmark and abroad, including:
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Copenhagen, Denmark; The Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen, Denmark; Design School Kolding, Kolding, Denmark; Köln International School of Design (KISD), Cologne, Germany; University of Technology, Sydney, Australia; The Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow, Scotland; School of Architecture and the Visual Arts University of East London, Great Britain; School of Architecture, Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), Beijing, China; The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London, Great Britain.
National and International Guest Teaching
Invited guest teacher, holder of workshops, and long-term visiting lecturer at several Danish and international educational institutions, including:
Metropolis Laboratory 2008 / Metropolis Biennale 2007–17, Copenhagen, Denmark; Köln International School of Design (KISD), Cologne, Germany; CUAAD, School of Architecture, University of Guadalajara, Mexico; School of Architecture and the Visual Arts, University of East London, Great Britain; School of Architecture, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China; University of Technology, Sydney, Australia; DKAD (Danish Research Schools within Architecture and Design), School of Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Academic Leadership, Commissions of Trust, Committees and Boards, etc.
2000–2006
Council member of the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE)
2002–2005
Member of ‘The School Council’, Aarhus School of Architecture
2004–2010
Member of an international ‘think tank’ in Ulm, Germany, set up with the purpose of rebranding the International Forum für Gestaltung Ulm (IFG Ulm), Germany
2007–2010
EAAE Project Leader for the EAAE Network: Architecture and Its Representations
2010–2011
Member of ‘The School Council’, Aarhus School of Architecture
2011–present
Member of the board of the Nordic Association of Architectural Research (NAF/NAAR)
2012
Jury member for the EAAE Prize 2011–2012: Writings in Architectural Education: Research by Design
2013
Invited by Rotor (Belgian curatorial team) to develop a project for the Oslo Architecture Triennale, Oslo, Norway: 19 September – 1 December 2013
2014–2017
Member of the jury of The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Society of Artists (deputy)
2015–present
President of the Nordic Association of Architectural Research (NAF/NAAR)
2017–2020
Member of the jury of The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Society of Artists
2018–2022
Member of the appointed team of external examiners for Fine Arts Programmes in Denmark under the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science
2018–2022
Member of the appointed team of external examiners for Art History and Visual Culture at the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University
2019 - present
Member of the international research committee for the iphi awards
2021
Member of the jury of the iphiGenia Gender Design Award 2021
2021-2024
Leading the international research network "The Representation of the Welfare City" funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (IRFD)
2022-2026
Member of the appointed team of external examiners for Fine Arts Programmes in Denmark under the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science
2022–2026
Member of the appointed team of external examiners for Art History and Visual Culture at the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University
Organization of Conferences, Symposia, Seminars, and Lecture Series
Organization of several international conferences, seminars, symposia, and lecture series on the subjects architecture and architectural representation, including:
The international research symposium: Questions of Representations in Architecture (2011), School of Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark, for DKAD and EAAE; PhD master class: Strategies of Representation: Architecture and Photography, Film and Models (2011), School of Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark; international research conference: 2016 NAF Symposium The Production of Knowledge in Architecture by PhD Research in the Nordic Countries (2016), KTH Stockholm, Sweden; international research conference: 2017 NAF Symposium Reflecting Histories and Directing Futures (2017), NMBU, Ås and AHO, Oslo, Norway; international research conference: 2018 NAF Symposium Built Environment and Architecture as a Resource (2018), Seinäjoki University Centre, Seinäjoki, Finland; international research conference: 2020 NAF Symposium Northernness (2020), Oulu University, Oulu School of Architecture, Finland.
Participation in Exhibitions
Participation in judged exhibitions in Denmark and abroad with my own work, including:
Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling (KE) 1995, Charlottenborgs Forårsudstilling 1996 and 1997, Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition 1998 (The Mound, Edinburgh, Great Britain), and a solo exhibition at the Danish Architecture Center, Dobbeltlokalitet: Arkitektur + Fotografi (1999–2000).
Participation by invitation in exhibitions with my own work or the work of my students, including:
Oslo Architecture Triennale, Behind the Green Door, Oslo, Norway, 19 September – 1 December 2013, invited by: Rotor, curatorial team; The GREAT Small – Great Gender-Sensitive Design and Small Anti-Gender Design, Hong Kong, 9 October – 7 December 2014, organized by: International Gender Design Network (iGDN) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).
Exhibition Curating
Curating of several research-based exhibitions on architecture and architectural photography, including:
Nine Walks, 15 November 2013, Oslo Architecture Triennale, Oslo, Norway; Beijing/Aarhus: Mapping the Void I + II, 25 February – 31 March 2014, Power Station of Art, Design Shanghai 2013, Shanghai, China; Plug-In, 7 May – 21 May 2014, DAC/Arkitekternes Hus, Copenhagen, Denmark; Photobook Week Aarhus 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 – International Photobook Festival, Aarhus, Denmark; Danish Cool: Keld Helmer-Petersen, Photography and the Photobook, 13 August – 18 September 2016, The Danish Cultural Center, 798 International Arts District, Beijing, China; The ARoS Collection, 4 October – 1 November 2018, ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, Aarhus, Denmark; Nadja - A Portrait of a City, 2 - 25 October 2020, ARoS, Aarhus Art Museum, Denmark; Per Bak Jensen: Books and Catalogs, 2 - 25 October 2020, ARoS, Aarhus Art Museum, Denmark.
Travel and Project Grants
Frøken Marie Månssons Legat
Margot og Thorvald Dreyers Fond
Statens Kunstfond
Realdania
Nationalbankens Jubilæumsfond
Independent Research Fund Denmark
Contributions to Books and Journals
Articles and interviews in journals and books on architecture, architectural education, architectural photography, and visual culture.
Publication collaborations within the past 5 years.
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The Representation and Visual Culture of the Welfare-City
Toft, A. E. (Project Participant), Nielsen, T. (Project Participant), Olesen, K. (Project Participant), Rosenberg Bendsen, J. (Project Participant), Troelsen, A. (Project Participant) & Peder Pedersen, C. (Project Participant)
01/01/2018 → …
Project: Research
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PWA: Photobook Week Aarhus
Toft, A. E. (Project Participant), Peder Pedersen, C. (Project Participant), Cegielska, B. (Project Participant), Rasmussen, J. (Project Participant) & Neumüller, M. (Project Participant)
09/10/2014 → …
Project: Research
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Didactics and Teaching in Architecture
Toft, A. E. (Project Participant)
01/01/2007 → …
Project: Research
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Questions of Representations in Architecture
Toft, A. E. (Project Participant)
03/09/2001 → …
Project: Research
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Institut for Skalakunst (working title)
Toft, A. E. (Project Participant), Nielsen, T. (Project Participant) & Peder Pedersen, C. (Project Participant)
01/01/2018 → 01/01/2020
Project: Research
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A Self-Reflexive Practice. Photobooks by Krass Clement: Gerry Badger in conversation with Anne Elisabeth Toft
Toft, A. E., 26 Oct 2024, Talking About Photobooks. Neumüller, M., Toft, A. E., Rasmussen, J. & Cegielska, B. (eds.). 1 ed. Amsterdam, Holland: Fw:Books, p. 217-229 13 p.Publications: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research
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Introduction
Neumüller, M., Toft, A. E., Cegielska, B. & Rasmussen, J., 26 Oct 2024, Talking About Photobooks. Neumüller, M., Toft, A. E., Cegielska, B. & Rasmussen, J. (eds.). 1 ed. Holland: Fw:Books, p. 5-16 12 p.Publications: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research
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Keld Helmer-Petersen and Black Light: Jens Frederiksen in Conversation with Anne Elisabeth Toft
Toft, A. E., 26 Oct 2024, Talking About Photobooks. Neumüller, M., Toft, A. E., Cegielska, B. & Rasmussen, J. (eds.). 1 ed. Fw:Books, p. 125-138 14 p.Publications: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research
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Photobooks on the Danish Welfare City and Its Architecture: Jannie Rosenberg Bendsen in conversation with Anne Elisabeth Toft
Toft, A. E., 26 Oct 2024, Talking About Photobooks. Neumüller, M., Toft, A. E., Cegielska, B. & Rasmussen, J. (eds.). 1 ed. Amsterdam, Holland: Fw:Books, p. 113-124 12 p.Publications: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research
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Talking About Photobooks
Neumüller, M. (Editor), Toft, A. E. (Editor), Rasmussen, J. (Editor) & Cegielska, B. (Editor), 26 Oct 2024, 1 ed. Holland: Fw:Books. 351 p.Publications: Book / Anthology / Thesis / Report › Anthology › Research
Activities
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President’s Opening Address
Toft, A. E. (Lecturer)
19 Sept 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Lecture and oral contribution
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NAF/NAAR Symposium 2024
Toft, A. E. (Organizer) & Rönn, M. (Organizer)
19 Sept 2024 → 20 Sept 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organisation and participation in conference
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Seminar 5: Repræsentationens agens
Toft, A. E. (Organizer)
4 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Censor ved Aarhus Universitet, Institut for Kunsthistorie. Censor på speciale. (Event)
Toft, A. E. (Member)
11 Apr 2024 → 9 May 2024Activity: Membership › Membership in review committee
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Seminar 4: The History of the Welfare City and its Historiography
Toft, A. E. (Organizer)
15 Feb 2024 → 16 Feb 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course