Main Architecture and Design Dokk1: Knowledge and Transportation Center

Dokk1: Knowledge and Transportation Center

In the Danish city of Aarhus in June this year was commissioned Dokk1. Dokk1 is Scandinavia’s largest public library and represents a new generation of modern hybrid libraries and thus the building contains multiple potentials. The building is situated at the mouth of the Aarhus River in one of the most prominent sites of the city centre of Aarhus. Dokk1 is part of the ambitious district plan to revitalize the former industrial cargo docks on the harbour front by connecting the area both visually and physically to the historic centre of the city.

Dokk1 is Scandinavia’s largest public library and represents a new generation of modern hybrid libraries and thus the building contains multiple potentials. The building is situated at the mouth of the Aarhus River in one of the most prominent sites of the city centre of Aarhus. Dokk1 is part of the ambitious district plan to revitalise the former industrial cargo docks on the harbour front by connecting the area both visually and physically to the historic centre of the city.

Dokk1 representing a new generation of modern, hybrid libraries. The 30,000 square metre building is part of the Urban Media space project, which is transforming the harbour front of Aarhus. The project houses the new library, a citizen service centre, the largest automatic parking in Europe for 1,000 cars and new harbour-side public squares. The waterfront spaces altogether comprise approximately 23,000 square metre. This equals 4 football fields. With a budget of over €280 million, it is the largest construction project by the Municipality of Aarhus in the city’s history.

In 2009, schmidt hammer lassen architects won the competition to design the new Urban Mediaspace project as lead architect in collaboration with Kristine Jensens Landscaping and engineering company Alectia. The large polygonal building is located at the mouth of the Aarhus River, connecting the city with the port and water. Flanked by forests to the north and south, a recreational belt has been created through which a new light railway will run with a dedicated station at Dokk1.

Road traffic will be redirected, so that it has direct access to the large under-ground car park beneath the building. New cycle paths run through the scheme that includes over 450 bicycle parking spaces. Dokk1 will be-come a new hub and metaphorically the “hinge” that opens up to new experiences in Aarhus city.

Full content of this issue you can read here

The full version of the article can be read in our printed issue, also you can subscribe to the web-version of the magazine