BIG

harbor promenade . ÅRHUS

BIG . + stiften

The Mayor of Århus Jacob Bundsgaard and Bjarke Ingels have unveiled the plans for a new promenade at the harbor of Denmark´s second largest city, offering a series of public spaces, recreational activities and different types of housing which adapt to the surrounding context.

BIG´s design for Bassin 7 in Arhus, Denmark, will breathe life into the harbor front of Denmark´s second largest city by creating a new public promenade for its citizens. Rather than developing private residences and activating the remaining space between the buildings once residents have moved in, a series of recreational and cultural activities, including a beach zone, a theater and cafe will transform the area and create an entirely new neighborhood in Arhus. The new public promenade claims the water´s edge as public realm, stretching from the very tip of the waterfront towards the city center, and connects to the existing boat harbor to the west as well as the nearby town square, Nikoline Kochs Plads. The promenade meanders through the plot, creating pockets of new public spaces while blurring the boundaries between the city and water. Seven unique buildings, each different in shape and size will populate the site over time. The residential buildings will adapt to their immediate surroundings and will be composed of low-, midand high-rise structures to ensure intimacy, life and activity at street level. Every building has a private courtyard for the residents, while the streets remain entirely public. By designing the public space as the first step, the masterplan carefully mixes public programs with private residences, creating a new dynamic urban area where public and private realms converge. Partners in Charge Bjarke Ingels, Finn Nørkjær, Andreas Klok Pedersen Project Leader Søren Martinussen Team Agne Rapkeviciute, Alberte Danvig, Ariel Norback Wallner, Jesefa Templo, Katerina Joannides, Nicolas Millot, Raphael Ciriani, Ryohei Koike, Spencer Hayden, Teodor Javanaud Emdén, Tore Banke COLLABORATORS Gehl Architects Anpartsselskabet Kilden & Mortensen Casa Moe