Architect(s): Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Address: Hack Kampmanns Pl. 2, AARHUS, Denmark
Latitude/Longitude: 56.153628,10.214092
Photographs: Adam Mørk
Completed in June 2015, Dokk1 opened as the largest public library in Scandinavia housing a citizen service centre, office space, automated parking for 1,000 cars and new harbour-side public squares. Situated at the mouth of the Aarhus River in one of the most prominent sites of the city centre of Aarhus, the 35,600m² building is designed as a place for exchanging knowledge and opportunities and a multicultural meeting point. Dokk1 became popular within 7 months of its opening and welcomed in excess one million visitors.
According to Senior Partner Kim Holst Jensen of Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, Dokk1 acts as a covered urban square. It is an undulating landscape that facilitates learning, knowledge sharing, innovation and a sense of community. Creation of a stimulating and dynamic environment at this unique location that fosters valuable and meaningful relationships between people was the goal of the designers. They wanted a cultural centre that everyone can see themselves in. This greater ambition was made possible through architecture and all its supporting disciplines. People of Aarhus have embraced Dokk1 since the first day of its opening.
Text description provided by the architects.
Size: 35,600m²
Cost: Approx. € 280 million excl. VAT
Competition: 2009, first prize in restricted international competition
Client: The Municipality of Aarhus
Client partner: Realdania
Landscape architect: Arkitekt Kristine Jensens Tegnestue
Engineer: Alectia Consulting Engineers
Client consultant: Rambøll Denmark
Other consultants: Bahn arkitekter
Awards: 2017, IDA Design Awards/2015 Commendation, Architectural Review MIPIM Future Projects Awards/2015, City of Aarhus Architecture Prize/2016, A+ Popular Choice Award/2016, Public Library of the Year Award/2017, European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award Nomination/2012, Best Collaboration Award
Contributed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
