How can we imagine a building that contributes to Godsbanen’s cultural aspirations?

Conceived as an integral element of the proposed cultural axis, the new Aarhus School of Architecture serves a dual role; it acts as a connection between the green wedge on the southern side and Godsbanen’s cultural center to the north, and it contributes to the creation of a plaza that ties the cultural center together and the new school of architecture.

The north-south orientation of the proposed ensemble reinforces the linearity of the existing buildings. The overall shape of the main building takes its form and sizing from the existing buildings on the site. The cubic volumes subtracted from the main building as patios are rearranged around the plaza that, together with the existing cultural center, forms an expanded cultural destination.

The plaza is integrated into the site with a clear and unified relationship, set up by the displacement of access routes from the north and south, while opening up to the green spaces on the southern side. Its siting and dimensions, as well as elements of the public program, contribute to making it the principal element of the project, transforming it into a vibrant cultural setting.

The uninterrupted ground level, connecting the space between inside and outside, accommodates public functions such as a cafeteria and exhibition space — both indoor and outdoor — and a bookshop. These areas are open to the public outside of school hours.

The combination of the landscape ingredients, the plaza, the cultural center, the public facilities at the ground level, and the diagonally aligned patios will create an intense cultural setting, a new “Cultural Eden.”