NEW AARCH - New Aarhus School of Architecture

The entry has a clear strategy in relation to the site plan where the school of architecture is placed parallel to Carl Blochs Gade, and the additional architectural programme is placed to the south and east. In this way the former railway goods terminal ‘Godsbanen’ and Aarhus School of Architecture are placed on an equal footing. This intervention helps create a certain atmosphere of variety in the east-west direction that works very well in the context. The entry has furthermore been com- posed in a holistic manner which secures a green connection from the south. The overall site plan contains some fine characteristics and creates a comprehensible system for urban spaces, arrival and orientation. The entry’s proposed design for the school of architecture has an interesting composition. The concept is based on a large exterior volume, in terms of scale, which can be compressed during a given period of time. Thus a permanent exterior frame is established which creates a large central space internally. Above this space a strong structural grid is designed where a room of boxes may be installed in time. This is fascinating as a principle but appears unrealistic in relation to the competition’s practicability and economic conditions. Nevertheless, the jury would like to praise the idea of one large central arrival hall, the design of which is one of the most interesting of the competition. The first thing to greet a visitor is the school’s activities in the workshop and mock-up facilities, and the visual contact and transparency between the functions of the building are given pride of place. The hall seems to be somewhat out of proportion but at the same time it appears to be an intense and beautiful space that might provide a good gathering place for the school. The building volume is clearly designed using resource demanding solutions. The entry contains several interesting qualities but does not appear realizable in relation to the terms of the competition and project.