NEW AARCH - New Aarhus School of Architecture

This proposal places the school of architecture in a public context in a general and overall way. The proposal approaches the school of architecture as a single building volume on a large scale with good potential for change over time.

RELATION TO THE SITE

In terms of architecture, the proposal appears resolved, presenting a captivating and elegant design, but is somewhat uncertain in relation to the green wedge and Godsbanen. The proposal organizes the remaining functions between the school of architecture and Carl Blochs Gade, respects the green wedge, but does not seem to develop any nuanced relationship to the close contextual surroundings. The jury, however, con- siders this to be a challenge that might be solved by applying the same elegant and distinct approach that was used in the interior of the building. The building’s demarcation between indoor and outdoor areas hints at the possibility of creating zones and places that might root the building to the site in a better way.

IDEA, ARCHITECTURE, FUNCTION
The building-related solution has a clear architectural appearance with a concept that gives the proposal a clear identity as a kind of generous academic hangar. Basic logistics are rooted in a rational, proper building prism with programmed fields. The concept is reinforced by differentiated zones. Some take the form of spaces within spaces, others are open bright areas. Large sliding doors contribute to a contact between the indoor and outdoor areas. The concept of the proposal is also based on a floor with an open area that is in use all 24 hours of the day – whereas the three inner buildings have more limited opening hours. Study spaces are organized on the ground level and relate to both indoor and outdoor spaces. This gives the large floor plane an interesting design which has not in the same way been redeemed in the building volume. This solution also poses a challenge as study spaces are organized in very open spaces. This needs to be further developed in order to achieve the necessary intimacy for individual students.

The great quality of the proposal is the relation- ship between a fascinating range of materials, the distinct building volume, the large open space, and the inner buildings. The proposal also uses the roof as a resource, in the form of a green gar - den with solar panels. The arrangement consisting of the inner buildings, the existing tarpaulin building, a glass house and a wooden house help to create a refined and versatile environment with the potential of becoming a distinctive feature of the new school of architecture. Combined with multipurpose, high-ceilinged spaces, the inserted smaller volumes, in processed forms, provide a school with an architectural basic structure that contains a functional and programmatic flexibility in a longer perspective. The solution, however, seems oversized in terms of volume and footprint. For this reason the proposal is economically extremely challenging and should be reduced in scale as the architectural composition is distilled further. The jury, however, believes this would be possible without critical loss of architectural qualities.