SLETH’s work on the master plan for the Danish School of Journalism in Skejby stems from a profound understanding of the area’s urban transformation, the visionary legacy of the original building, and the site’s potential for new mobility. The master plan is founded on four key principles: preservation, diversity, intimacy, and neighborhood formation. The vision is to create a vibrant and cohesive urban district that respects the site’s architectural heritage while meeting future demands for functionality, sustainability, and diversity.
Skejby is undergoing a transformation from a satellite area outside Aarhus’ city center into an integrated urban district where business, housing, education, and recreational areas are seamlessly combined. In SLETH’s interpretation, the knowledge axis, stretching from Navitas through Aarhus University to Skejby, emerges as a dynamic artery and identity-shaping element. The master plan builds upon this existing infrastructure and mobility, both of which play a central role in Skejby’s transformation. The Letbane and supercycle path connect the city center to Skejby via Vestereng, making Olof Palmes Allé a key link between neighborhoods. Furthermore Vestereng is being transformed into an active urban park, where green landscapes blend with urban qualities to create a valuable recreational area.
The architectural legacy of The Danish School of Journalism is a crucial element of the master plan, where the building’s design and integration with the landscape are essential. Designed by Kjær & Richter with landscape architect Sven Hansen, the school’s structure is deeply connected to the terrain, emphasizing the larger landscape narrative and cohesion. The terracing landscape and the buildings’ adaptation to the terrain create a strong visual and physical identity, which is preserved and revitalized through the master plan. The terrain is directly reflected in the structure of new buildings, forming a synergy between nature and architecture that serves as the foundation for the new district. The legacy of the school is clearly recognizable in the facades, materiality, and color choices of the new buildings, where raw concrete volumes dominate, with a hierarchical arrangement in which the school’s shed roof remains the most distinct singularity.
SLETH’s vision for the master plan also builds on the original spatial structure of The Danish School of Journalism, which created local, space-defining qualities around the school. The site offers a variety of niches and spaces with distinct identities that contribute to its uniqueness. Through the master plan rich spatial variation within the area is envisioned, fostering both quiet streets, bustling urban squares and green parks. This diversity in spaces and their composition is crucial for accommodating different uses and functions, fostering informal encounters and diverse uses of the city’s spaces. These spatial qualities are integrated into the new neighborhood through active preservation and reinterpretation. In doing so, the new district is rooted in its history, avoiding the loss of identity often seen in urban redevelopment.
Materials and colors from the interior of The Danish School of Journalism serve as inspirations for creating continuity in public spaces and buildings. This seamless transition between past and present ensures that the architectural legacy of the site is not only preserved but also actively incorporated into the identity and functionality of the new urban district. The master plan thereby highlights both the historical values of the site and its potential to shape a modern, dynamic neighborhood.
