The Founding of DISSING+WEITLING
The history of DISSING+WEITLING has roots stretching back to the 1930s, starting with the opening of Professor Arne Jacobsen’s ground-breaking architectural firm in Copenhagen, Denmark.
For many years, Hans Dissing was office manager for Arne Jacobsen, while Otto Weitling worked as associated partner on the firm’s German projects. Following the death of Arne Jacobsen in 1971, Hans Dissing and Otto Weitling were requested to continue the work on Arne Jacobsen’s many projects.
Later that year they formed DISSING+WEITLING. Since then, D+W has been involved in hundreds of projects around the world.
International Outlook
During the first few years, D+W completed projects started by Arne Jacobsen. Showing an aptitude with international projects, D+W built the Mainz City Hall in Germany, a holiday resort on the north German island of Fehmarn, and the Danish Embassy in London. In 1972, D+W won competitions for the IBM Centre in Hamburg and the Art Gallery North Rhine-Westphalia in Dusseldorf, establishing the D+W name in its own right.
Long-Term Collaboration
The D+W story features a number of long-term relationships with renowned developers.
As house architects for Novo Nordisk, our work has included administration, laboratory, production and industrial facilities around the world.
Our collaboration with Denmark’s National Bank dates back to 1961, when Arne Jacobsen won an invited competition to design the National Bank complex. The first phase of the project was inaugurated shortly before his death in 1971 – D+W then completed the following two phases. Our work with the National Bank continued until 2001, with the renovation and restoration of the roof terrace, canteen and kitchen.
In 1988, D+W became consulting architects for the interior design and upkeep of the Danish Parliaments’ buildings and associated institutions.
Other long-term collaborations include working as house architects for the New Carlsberg Glypotek art museum.
The Bridges
D+W embarked on a new chapter in 1988 with the Great Belt Bridge, linking the Danish islands of Funen and Zealand.
We established a department to work exclusively on bridge design, and by the time the Great Belt Bridge was inaugurated in 1998, we had become one of the world’s leading bridge designers.
Today we have been involved in more than 200 bridge projects around the world, such as the Poole Harbour Bridge in England, Stonecutters Bridge in Hong Kong, and the New Forth Crossing in Scotland.
Oerestad – New Possibilities for the New City
In 1994, we won an architectural competition for the design of the Royal Library. This was the first planned building project for Oerestad, an area of Copenhagen currently under development.
Since then, our work in the Oerestad area has included the new media house for the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) for which our integrated energy solution designs have garnered awards.
Recently, D+W has developed a new Master Plan for Copenhagen Towers in collaboration with Foster + Partners. Located in the southern part of Oerestad, the complex is scheduled for completion over the course of the next few years. With over 130,000 m2 including office space, conference facilities, and a hotel, Copenhagen Towers is one of the largest undertakings in the history of D+W.