© Adam Mørk
For some years now, Aarhus, the second-largest city in Denmark and the European Capital of Culture for 2017, has been pointing the way for new urban development with its ambitious construction. The revitalization of the harbour area close to the city may also be seen as part of this programme. The new centrepiece bears the name “Dokk1”. Not only is it the largest library in Scandinavia, but an urban centre in its own right with a number of different functions. These articulate the building into three main sections, which are also identifiable externally.
The facade construction is reduced to only three main materials – concrete, glass and metal – and the individual forms remain clearly defined by virtue of the fact that the various levels are turned against each other, so that a bold dynamic character is created. The outer appearance stands in contrast to the strictly orthogonal column grid that serves as the basis for the building structure and facilitates the modular internal organization.
The facade construction is reduced to only three main materials – concrete, glass and metal – and the individual forms remain clearly defined by virtue of the fact that the various levels are turned against each other, so that a bold dynamic character is created. The outer appearance stands in contrast to the strictly orthogonal column grid that serves as the basis for the building structure and facilitates the modular internal organization.