Research profile

Tenna Doktor Olsen Tvedebrink holds a hybrid educational profile across domains of architectural design, civil engineering, food science, as well as sensory and consumer studies from Aalborg University and Copenhagen University in Denmark. In 2012, she was a visiting PhD student at Azreli School of Architecture & Urbanism, Carleton University, Ottawa in Canada – participating in the PhD program run by Professor Marco Frascari.

At present, she is Associate Professor at Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University and member of the umbrella research group CREATE Integrated Architecture. Her overall research interest is the integration of design-engineering and architectural thinking. As part hereof, a strong focus on architectural theory/history, creative teaching pedagogies, integrated design processes, human-centered/user-oriented research methodologies, narrative approaches, and social sustainability.

This interest is in particular applied in understanding body-environment relationships and how both the atmospheres and affordances of the built environment help shape user behaviors, user emotions, and user experiences. As part hereof a specific focus on notions of embodiment and empathy, as well as user-oriented design ethnographic tools, such as user journey mapping, persona, storytelling, scenario writing, and storyboarding.

Tenna has also been engaged in a broad series of research projects, academic publications and teaching developments touching on aspects of gastronomy, culinary history, hospitality, experience economy and tourism, light, sustainability, everyday tectonics, cultural heritage, collective memory, visual literacies, storytelling, and experience design. Common for these research and teaching topics, is a holistic and interdisciplinary perspective on how built environments (from the scale of product and furniture design, over building and interior design, into urban design and rural landscape) influence human health and wellbeing. As well as, how research-based knowledge is translated and transformed into creative integrated design thinking processes using problem based learning methodologies as a central approach.

Research profile

From 2018-2020 Tenna was Head of Studyboard for the educational programmes of 'Architecture', 'Urban Design' and 'Industrial Design' in Aalborg University. 

Research profile

From 2024- Research group leader/coordinator for 'Create Integrated Architecture' (CIA) research group