Research
My research interests cover a wide area of enquiry.
One can argue that all of the architectural design process is itself a research-in-action. We may think of a new way of putting something together, which is tested on site when the buider constructs the detail. There is no doubt the fertile minds of architects can often find a new use for a material. The use of stainless steel cable from sailing boats for balustrades is just one example.
Due to my Danish background, Scandinavian design theory was a research interest at University. I found my teachers and indeed even Australian architecture in general was influenced by work of Scandinavian designers, especially in their use of material and their insistence of natural finishes. For my final year thesis I examined the existential influence in Scandinavian society and how it affected architectural theory, specifically the design approach of Joern Utzon. I was helped by my father translating a video from Danish TV where Utzon explianed his design ideas.
This work lead to me proposing that detail or teh art of making was an essential aspect of Scandinavian design. i received the NSW Board of Architects Byera Hadley travelling scholarship to help me investigate this idea. Substantially it was confimed. I also discovered the powerful effect of landscape and the northern light. I proposed that the need for natural light had a profound effect on the design of form.
My interest in light and meaning is due to my understanding of the many layered meaning of light, elightenment and shadow in the bible. Also specifically to architecture the role of light in the temple, where the text indcates the most-holy was a perfect cube with no natural light.
My interest in landscape and how buildings relate to the landscape was augmented in the early years of the 1990's by environmental concern. I was becomming increasingly aware architects needed to do something about their impact on the environment.
An opportunity came with a research scholarship to examine sustainability and the full life cycle impacts of building, using data colected over 8 years by BHP. I soon found that sustainability could not be defined, except as what we desire to sustain, or in other words what we think is "good". Well, that is personal. We all agree that there is a "good", but there is no chance at all that there will ever be agreement as to what that "good" is. And if there was agreement, chances are it would be due to a totalitarian 'Ministry of Truth' ensuring the agreement! However, examining energy use and Carbon dioxide impact seemed very objective. Except it turns out that the use of energy is determined by human preferences. And they turn out to be far from objective or easily quanitifiable. In the process of carrying out research I attended conferences and presented papers. And learnt far more about other areas of architectural science than I could have ever read.
Publications: Where accessible PDF versions are attached.
Henriksen, J.E. (2006) The Value of Design in Reducing Energy Use and CO2-e Impact over the life cycle of a Detatched Dwelling in a Temperate Climate, Thesis for Master of Architecture, University Of Newcastle.
Henriksen, J.E (2004a) 'Is residential development sustainable if it doesn't have a solar Hot Water Heater' Proceedings of the 42 ANZSES Conference, Murdoch University, Western Australia: ANZSES
Henriksen (2004), 'The designer's formative influence on the lifecycle Environmental impact of a house', Proceedings of 38th Annual Conference of ANZAScA. UTAS, Launceston.
Henriksen, J (2003a).'Two Thermal Models and Reality'. Proceedings of 37th Annual Conference of ANZAScA. University of Sydney: Sydney.
Ward, J & J. Henriksen (2003), 'Energy Effiiciency in the New Energy Market' Proceedings of 37th Annual Conference of ANZAScA. University of Sydney: Sydney.
Henriksen, J (2002). 'LCA For The Optimisation Of Residential Energy Use in a Temperate Climate', Proceedings 3rd Australian Conference on Life cycle Assessment. ALCAS.
Henriksen, J (2002a).'Energy Use, CO2 and Cost implications of achieving a narrow thermal range in a residence '. Proceedings of 36th Annual Conference of ANZAScA. University of Sydney: Sydney.
Henriksen, Janet. (2001) 'Life Cycle Analysis for Energy Accounting in Residential Architecture'. in 35th Annual Conference of ANZAScA. Computer mediated Reality: Crafting Design Quality. Victoria University of Wellington: ANZAScA.
Henriksen Janet (1997) “Scandinavia: Poetic functionalism and the art of makingâ€, Report for NSW Board Of Architects, Sydney.
Other Research Work.
CRC Construction Innovation Sydeny Opera House FM Exemplar Project. Procurement Case Study and Decision Making Strategies. Rider Hunt Terotec, Sydney University, CSIRO.
Link to Report
Sydeny Opera House Facilities Management Exemplar Project. Presented at FMA Confernece 1st June 2006, by Paul Akhurst.
Link to Paper
Presentations
Future Shock Conference Brisbane Nov. 2005 QUT Link to Program
Biblical Exegesis
Henriksen, (2006.)An Enduring Earth, Belmont. Link to An Enduring Earth
Writing as hej for 'Consider'. Link to Consider
