Year: 2020
Location: Aarhus, Denmark
Status: In design
Collaborators:  Søren Jensen Rådgivende Ingeniørfirma
Visualisations: SLETH

The high-rise building Prismet in Aarhus near Den Gamle By is undergoing a major transformation and extension. The goal is a sustainable, a lighter and more airy high-rise building and a completely new square with compact apartments and lots of common facilities. From heavy and closed to reddish, light, and completely open towards one of Aarhus’ most infrastructurally heaviest hubs at the Ceres junction.

Ny Vesterport is based on a vision to create the framework for new and practical communities that combine workplaces, housing, and sports in one unified building. The building complex supports a dynamic environment with meeting places, coworking communities, and sharing schemes – and a varied composition of modern housing types.

The ambition with Ny Vesterport is to create a vibrant city district in a new urban context between Vesterbro’s red squares and the Prism as the urban landmark at the Ceres junction. The mixed urban district creates a clear connection to the surrounding streets and buildings (heights, urban spaces, and architecture) on all three sides – conceived together with a sustainable transformation and revitalization of the high-rise building.

The high-rise building is “turned upside down” and the ground floor is opened for urban spaces and city life in the arrival situation. At the same time, the high-rise will have a more defined ending.

The outward-facing functions along Silkeborgvej and Viborgvej follow the natural rise of the landscape, where the terrain occupies two full floors at the top of the area.

Along Herningvej, the green course is strengthened with green border zones and the local pocket park as part of the course of smaller urban spaces alongside the streetscape.

The common living areas in the courtyard are decorated with a focus on sports, communities, and a healthy everyday life, while the green roofs offer living areas and green living spaces for the dwellings.