Old KUA ripped to shreds at KUA2 opening

KUA2’s inauguration presented the talents of an orchestra, the Music Studies’ choir, and the fresh works of art planted in the Faculty of Humanities’ newest building. The artistry most will remember, though, was the stand-up comedy throughout the speeches, which focused mostly on how Old KUA may be too easy to forget.

Film and Media Studies professor Ib Bondebjerg spent most of his speech reminiscing about the beginnings of his career and how he ended up working for 35 years in the old building. Despite their history together, he could not help but take a few sardonic jabs, which sounded more like a dysfunctional marriage.

“Old KUA was unbelievably un-erotic with its brutal and un-artistic body… and I am not mourning about how the bulldozers are tearing the building down – that old lady. It should’ve really happened a long time ago, but I learned to live with her,” he says.

A case of Stockholm Syndrome

Taking the insults a step further, the dean, Ulf Hedetoft, quoted from a novel by Leif Davidsen – which takes place right after the end of the Cold War – as an example of how Old KUA’s notoriety as an ugly construction even made its notice in the arts. He then continued with quotes of his own.

“Instead, thinks Teddy, I went to UCPH at Amager, where I have my little office in that monstrous construction that a crazy architect managed to pull through in the start of the 70s. Such an East German thing for the humanities. (…) Maybe that is why the most thoughts were so small,” he says.

“Old KUA, a place which many have come to really appreciate as time passed – as you have heard until now – is a clear example of how to be taken hostage by the Stockholm Syndrome,” he says.

Lots of new traditions

Only one student, Philip Winkel, had the opportunity to share his say. Although he had his criticisms about the old building, he also found it a delightful place to start off his academic career with lots of stories. He also wished to focus more on the future.

“Old KUA was a wonderful place despite the awful red walls and mess. The architecture encouraged intimate and varied study environments. But there was always trouble to find if you were looking for it in the rat-like hallways. There were 14 Friday bars of different sizes. The smallest was ‘Tornstuen’, which I could never find, but legend says that it was two guys on a sofa with warm beer and some change,” he says.

He also shared how he found it a shame how the different courses had little to do with each other at the parties, but now with KUA2, you cannot avoid meeting each other. Lots of new traditions have already been in the process of being built, and international students have a greater chance of making local friends.

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