With the creation of a new neighborhood on the waterfront of Aarhus, the city needed a new landmark. A white steel tower, reminiscent of an origami paper sculpture, stands out and marks the beginning of a new urban chapter.
Address: Dock 7, Nikoline Kochs Plads, Aarhus Ø
Client: City of Aarhus / The Salling Funds
Height: 1st plateau: 4,3 m, 2nd plateau: 7,5 m
Architect: Dorte Mandrup A/S
Engineer: Søren Jensen Rådgivende Ingeniørfirma A/S
Founded by The Salling Funds
Status: Inaugurated 10/8 2015
Project: Landmark & viewing tower
The tower creates an unexpected route from the quayside to the actual viewing platform 7.5 meters above. The visitor is lead below the expressive cantilevered body of the tower to a podium hovering above the reflective water of the harbor. The upwards movement then continues via a spacious staircase fitted for seating – offering a magnificent panoramic view of the harbor and the bay. The journey culminates at a sheltered viewing platform.
Experience through movement
The new viewing tower and landmark on the harbour of Aarhus Ø, The Salling Tower, is shaped as a dramatic urban sculpture with a significant architectural expression. The white body of steel is a luminous and distinctive focal point and meeting place. Visitors will be led on a course full of experiences that star t at the quayside and go to the upper platform 7.5 meters above quay- level. The route through the tower leads under an inclined sur face and up to the first viewing plateau that hovers above the water. From here, the visitor is led upwards by a broad staircase which serves a lookout to panoramic views of the harbour and bay. Finally, the covered upper plateau provides a 360 degree overlook of the city and the harbour.
References to surroundings
The viewing tower adds a significant landmark to the harbour. It is distinguished from the surroundings with its expression of folded geometry. Despite the distinctive appearance, the tower contributes to the historic trading port by referencing the maritime environment.
Peek holes and a massive white painted steel -plate construction promote the feeling of being at sea. The tower is a gift for the city donated by The Salling Funds. A criterion was that it should be accessible for everyone. A lift is installed and provides an equal user-experience for visitors with reduced mobility by following the staircase from the bottom to the top platform. At night, LED backlighting illuminates the tower from the inside, recalling the masts of neighbouring cargo ships.
The jury charaterized the winning project as an “architecturally superior solution to the task at hand”
Quote from the jury report:
“From a distance, the dynamically shaped composition will become a strong focal point for this new part of the city. At close encounter, the Lockout tower will be a generous and hospitable place for the new area – stimulating citizens to take rest and inhabit the place”
