Bassin 7–located in Aarhus, Denmark’s second-largest city–held great potential for becoming a new mixed-use neighborhood and destination. Gehl and BIG developed a master plan in collaboration with the City and Port of Aarhus, exploring how to create a vibrant harbor front and attractive living conditions.
Bassin 7 before
A meandering promenade weaves together urban spaces on land and water, while distinguishing between public life in the streets, semi-private space in the courtyards, and private residences.
The master plan defines the best conditions for combining commercial life, recreation, and water-related activities with residential amenities. The team began with a public life study, designing a plan that carefully balanced the behaviors observed with programs and strategies that foster public life with private and semi-private amenities in and around the nearby residential buildings.
The design for Bassin 7 puts public life first to create a dense, human-scaled waterfront with opportunities for a wide range of activities. Pockets of new public spaces intertwine with the residential structures throughout the plot approaching the waterfront promenade, connecting residents to an existing boat harbor and nearby town square (Nikoline Kochs Plads). Restaurants and cafés have been concentrated in prime locations to establish a vibrant and inviting zone, placed strategically with weather conditions–like wind and sunlight patterns–in mind.
In 2018, the Harbor Bath opened to the public, further activating the waterfront and creating a must visit destination in Aarhus. Today, the master plan and design of Bassin 7 breathes new life into the harborfront, balancing a vibrant public realm with private residences, and activating the spaces in between.
Awards: Aarhus Architecture Prize 2023 in the category “Urban Gaps”, Project Development Award 2023 for best urban development project.
For more information, visit the Bassin 7 website.
Image credit: Nybolig og Helene Høyer Mikkelsen
Image credit: SLETH
Image credit: Nybolig og Helene Høyer Mikkelsen
"Creating Urban Life Before Buildings"
Image credit: Nybolig og Helene Høyer Mikkelsen
There is no business as usual here! By advancing people-first, evidence-based designs our Master Plans not only create the framework for great architecture to unfold, they create meaningful and memorable places that support quality of life for all.
Urban Strategy is the foundation upon which form, function and behaviour are created. Our holistic approach always starts with asking what life should exist in place, what spaces invite for that life, and what buildings and facilities support this. People and life first, always.