The Iceberg / CEBRA + JDS + SeARCH + Louis Paillard Architects
Denmark, 9 February 2015 —— Over 3000 projects were in competition for this prestigious recognition selected by the readers of ArchDaily. With over 80.000.000 monthly page-views ArchDaily is the largest online architecture platform worldwide.
The Iceberg was an international collaborative effort. JDS ARCHITECTS (DK, BE, CN) joined forces with CEBRA (DK), LPA (FR) and SeArch (NL) to compose a European team and design the project as one.
The project has 216 apartments that amounts to over 23.000 m2 in a neighbourhood-like configuration. The volume of the buildings are organised in peaks and valleys to allow the entire complex to benefit from views towards the sea and the horizon.
Location: Mariane Thomsens Gade, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
Architects: CEBRA, JDS, SeARCH, Louis Paillard Architects
The Iceberg is located at a prime location on the outmost harbour front in Aarhus’ new quarter Aarhus Ø (Aarhus East) and consists of 208 apartments. Like many other worn-out industrial harbour areas, the former container port of Aarhus is being transformed into a vibrant new neighbourhood.
The Iceberg is among the first projects to be finished in an area that on completion will be home to 7,000 inhabitants and provide 12,000 workplaces. Its total site area of 800,000 m2 makes it one of Europe’s largest harbour front city developments.
The inspiration for the Iceberg originated primarily from the site’s extraordinary location with spectacular views over the Aarhus Bay. Thus, the seemingly simple task was to maximise views and sunlight conditions for every single apartment and at the same time respect the in- land urban context.
Instead of following the masterplan, which was dominated by closed building blocks, the Iceberg is laid out as four L-shaped wings, where the street spaces inbetween open towards the water. In order to obtain optimal daylight conditions and views over the bay, the building volumes are cut up by jagged lines.
The roofs rise and fall into peaks and valleys, which create visual passages across the individual volumes – like floating icebergs that constantly refract one’s gaze. Thus, even the back wing’s residents can enjoy the view. The principle of dividing each building into tops and valleys contributes to adapt the scale of the buildings to the surroundings and the interior spaces. Instead of be- ing considered as a block turning inwards the complex be experienced as an open stucture, creating more architectural appeal.
The variety of residences with different balconies, shapes and orientations as well as the combination of owner-occupied and rented flats aim at creating socially diverse urban surroundings that form a lively local community: the building complex becomes a neighbour- hood instead of a mere series of housing blocks.
JDS / Julien De Smedt Architects is a multidisciplinary office that focuses on architecture and design, from large scale urban planning to furniture. The office is fueled by talented designers and experienced architects who jointly develop projects from the early sketch to on-site supervision. Independent of scale, this outlines an approach that is affirmatively social in its outcome, enthusiastic in its ambition and professional in its method. By continuously developing and implementing precise and rigorous methods of analysis, we are able to combine innovative thinking with an efficient production. At the core of our architecture is the ability to take a fresh look at things through experienced eyes. This approach has resulted in a wide portfolio of both Danish and international projects. The office is 30 people strong, and supports an attitude of involving external consultants when required and relevant. This use of complementing resources ensures that projects will never suffer from being neither too conventional nor too naive. JDS is founded and directed by Julien De Smedt, former co-founder of PLOT.
JDS Architects have offices in BRUSSELS, COPENHAGEN and SHANGHAI.
[Source : JDS ARCHITECTS]
