Lighthouse | 3XN Architects

Lighthouse is a residential-led, mixed-use development situated at the tip of Aarhus Harbour, facing the water, and pinpointing the transition from Aarhus Bay. Openness, safety, and diversity characterise the development, which combines a high-rise structure with a group of mid-rise buildings to foster community and interaction.

Completed in two phases, the development combines private as well as social housing. A waterfront promenade with public restaurants, cafes, and retail space invites visitors into the site and creates a lively and diverse streetscape. Phase two saw the completion of Denmark’s tallest building which includes a public rooftop restaurant allowing visitors to share the incredible views over the city and Aarhus Bay.

Fostering local community

At the head of Aarhus Ø, Lighthouse occupies a prominent position in the city’s newest waterfront neighbourhood. The development is characterized by an upside-down approach to urbanization in which the site was made an active social community. This was done through initiatives such as cafés, water sports, urban farming established prior to any development, providing feedback and knowledge that was brought into the final project, kickstarting the social community in the area.

Vibrant waterfront living

Central to the masterplan’s success is the public seaside promenade with cafés and shops. Safe public access to the water attracts swimmers and kayakers to the area. Open all year round, brave locals enjoy the popular Danish activity of ‘winter bathing’. Cafés along the promenade provide a cosy place to warm up and enjoy a hot drink after an icy dip.

Connecting residents to the surroundings

In the research and analysis phase, thorough studies of the societal development, cultural trends and living conditions as well as analysis of the location, context, and considerations of wind and weather conditions were conducted. The resulting design seeks to provide all the residences with a sunny south face and a north view. In addition, all the apartments have access to either a private balcony or external terrace giving access to outside space from which to enjoy the spectacular views. The proximity to nature through the private, semi-public, and public areas provide residents with what they themselves, and post occupancy characterize as a “relaxing vacation feeling”.

Perpetuating architectural tradition

A tall building occupying such a prominent position naturally appears as a landmark, so the project required a high-quality design which addressed both the scale of the city as well as its immediate context. The challenge for the design team was to create an elegant structure that would perpetuate Aarhus’ tradition of progressive architecture while also providing an outstanding user experience.

Detailed geometry studies were undertaken to create a tower with an elegant, slim profile when viewed from both the city and the water. The resulting design, a rhomboid with two rounded corners, creates a slender appearance and gives the appearance of having neither front nor back, addressing the view from all angles.

The sea as inspiration

Inspired by patterns and reflections of water, the unique façade adds visual interest and texture. Furthermore, it helps unify the numerous buildings within the development with a common architectural language and materiality. The façade pattern is parametrically optimized and produced as lightweight high-precision prefab elements, contributing to weight saving.

Community centred courtyard

The tower and its adjoining terraced wings frame a sheltered private courtyard for residents which provides a quiet refuge away from the busier public spaces on the waterfront. This shared space helps build a sense of community amongst the residents by providing a space where individuals and families can meet and children can play safely together, overlooked by the surrounding apartments.

Photography Credits: Adam Mørk