Ole Fryd

Ole Fryd is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management at the University of Copenhagen, specializing in climate adaptation through nature- and landscape-based approaches. His work integrates natural systems—topography, hydrology, geology, and biology—to develop sustainable urban and coastal environments resilient to climate challenges.

Education:

• PhD, University of Copenhagen (2011)
• MSc Urban Design, Aalborg University (2005)

Fryd researches landscape-based stormwater management and multifunctional coastal landscapes, with current focus on evaporation as drainage strategy and nature-based responses to shallow groundwater. He explores century-scale urban transformations challenging conventional infrastructure (sewers, dikes, drainage), advocating for radical human-nature coexistence. Key research areas include urban planning, climate change, coastal change, and urban water management.

His 100+ publications reveal interdisciplinary climate adaptation research spanning sponge city evaluations to social vulnerability studies, bridging engineering, landscape architecture, and social sciences for holistic coastal resilience solutions.

Advising and Teaching:

• Supervised nearly 200 graduation projects and 7 completed PhD theses
• Program director for three educational programs
• Responsible for 16 bachelor's/master's courses

He contributed as consultant to the Coastal Imaginaries project for the Danish Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Biennale of Architecture, applying climate adaptation principles to international urban coastal contexts.