isbjerget housing project

Isbjerget (the Iceberg) is located at at a prime location on the outmost harbour front in Aarhus' new quarter 'De Bynære Havnearealer'. Like many other industrial harbour fronts, the former container port of Aarhus is being transformed into a dynamic new neighbourhood. Isbjerget (208 flats, 20k m2 area) 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 Isbjerget originated primarily from the site's extraordinary location. Isbjerget is laid out as four L-shaped wings, where the street spaces in between 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 that 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 varying and spectacular forms that derive from this simple algorithm make it possible to fit a varied range of different dwelling types within the complex – from two-storey 'town houses' and affordable smaller flats to exclusive penthouses in the peaks of the iceberg. 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 neighborhood instead of a mere series of housing blocks.

Architectural services incl. landscape Architects: CEBRA, JDS, SeARCH and Louis Paillard Collaboration: NCC, Tækker R.I. and Hamiconsult