Architecture is a product of different materials and processes. The new Arkitektskolen, the architecture college in Aarhus, Denmark, designed by Adept from Copenhagen, shows this from the outside. Even at first glance, it is clear what studying here means. Here, people design, work, experiment, discuss and produce.
Architecture is a product of different materials and processes. The new Arkitektskolen, the architecture college in Aarhus, Denmark, designed by Adept from Copenhagen, shows this from the outside. Even at first glance, it is clear what studying here means. Here, people design, work, experiment, discuss and produce.
The approach that architecture is created through experimentation, design, testing and exploration dominates the new Arkitektskolen Aarhus. Inspired by the learning principles of the 21st century, the Danish faculty is designed as an incubator for architectural experimentation. Here, students learn in workshops, there is room for the unplanned, the unpredictable, for synergies. This spirit is also reflected in the architecture of the building, which was developed by the architectural firm ADEPT. The architecture is raw and reminiscent of a simple industrial building. However, at second glance, refined details and a clear spatial organization become visible. Both make it clear how the building is structured and how a design with few, carefully selected materials can have a great impact. The architecture is merely a flexible framework that takes a back seat to the uses and activities that take place within it.
Arkitektskolen Aarhus is a laboratory for studying and researching architecture. This work takes place both indoors and outdoors. Built on the site of a former goods station, the new building ties in with the industrial history of the location. It is characterized by exposed materials, visible pipes and industrial details. At the same time, it creates a natural transition to the adjacent Institute for X. This is a creative community of start-ups and cultural professionals that has grown out of itself.
The simplicity of the new Arkitektskolen Aarhus responds to the need for functional and robust spaces. The new building allows lecturers to experiment with new and contemporary forms of architectural teaching. At the same time, it creates a strong identity for the university and reflects its ambition to become one of the best architecture schools in Europe. Teaching should no longer take place behind closed doors. Rather, they should be visible and accessible to everyone; to those involved in the school, the students and teaching staff as well as the people in the surrounding area and neighborhood.
The new Arkitektskolen Aarhus building unites ten previously widely dispersed locations. When designing this new, central university building, the vision was to create a robust structure, a living laboratory for architecture. The workshop-like design, which presents itself like an anti-icon, is inspired by this idea. It presents itself as a blank canvas for ideas, creativity and learning. In addition, the design merges interior and exterior spaces. It is not only the transparency of the building envelope that contributes to this, but also the question of which spaces belong to the university and which to the city. In future, students in Aarhus will not only benefit from teaching in the building, but also from the urban environment. Conversely, although the new building does not in itself make a contribution to the city, its users and their activities make it a new urban building block.
The design of the new Arkitektskolen in Aarhus follows the goal of creating a high degree of spatial flexibility. Added to this is the reduced selection of materials, which minimized the resources required for construction. In addition, emphasis was placed on local production and transportation chains. The large and robust spaces are based on concrete, which the planners used in as small quantities as possible in close cooperation with the manufacturer. In contrast, they maximize the use of recycled materials. Overall, the developer was committed to achieving the most sustainable construction method possible. For example, there are upcycled wooden floors in the building, which come from remnants of industrial window production. The library’s shelving system also respects the principles of sustainability. Large parts of the multi-storey library consist of a reused shelving system from a nearby historic building. Another sustainability plus: the university was able to reduce its energy consumption by up to 50 percent compared to its previous locations.
Recycled materials also play a role in the outdoor space of the new architecture school. Research and experiments are being carried out here into how leftover building materials can be reused. At the same time, solutions for climate adaptation are being tested and biotopes are being moved from one location to another.
The new Arkitektskolen Aarhus is not only structurally innovative. It is also the result of an innovative cooperation model, co-creation. As such, it demonstrates alternative approaches to interdisciplinary cooperation in the construction industry in its development and production process. In addition, the users were and are continuously involved, as is the neighborhood. In the course of the development process, internal hierarchies disappeared and transparent development and a strong sense of ownership grew at all levels.
Also interesting: Adept is building the Braunstein Taphouse, a brewery and local event venue, in the port of Køge. What makes it special: Right from the start, it was designed to be easy to dismantle and recyclable. Read more here.
