Nicolinehus

Located on a unique spot right between Aarhus Marina and the city's harbour bath lies the mixed-use project Nicolinehus - the last building project in the development of the Aarhus Ø’s district’s first phase. Mixing urban, commercial and residential functions, Nicolinehus has been developed with a clear goal of bringing more urban life and urban quality to the new urban district for the benefit of both residents and the surrounding city.

The history of Aarhus Ø goes all the way back to 1997, when a unanimous city council passed a masterplan for the extension of Aarhus Harbour. The aim of the plan was to transform the empty container harbour into a new and vibrant urban district that could connect the city with the bay. Despite extensive construction and plenty of new residents, Aarhus Ø has been criticised for the absence of urban life that was initially expected to grow. It was therefore the ambition that Nicolinehus would breathe life and quality into Aarhus Ø and thus create a vibrant and attractive urban district.

With its combination of residential, commercial and an open ground floor with a variety of functions, Nicolinehus shows how to create and attract more people to a new district such as Aarhus Ø. Here, a central market place on the ground floor makes up the foundation of a buzzing and lively business life. With room for more than 15 eateries and cafés as well as a fitness centre and a skybar at the top. All of this combined means that Nicolinehus attracts a large flow of people during both day and evening hours.

Nicolinehus is inspired by the old brick blocks of Aarhus city centre. Here, the idea of courtyards surrounded by flats has be rethought and adjusted to the life and the environment that exists by the water. Divided into a commercial and residential section that seemingly slopes down towards the marina, Nicolinehus opens up for two courtyards, while the rooftop gardens provide views for the residents and workers. The result is a hybrid of the classic residential block and the terraced landscape, in which functionality and aesthetics merge into a new entity.

Essential to creating a thriving urban environment is to create a place where people want to live and settle for a long time. It has thus been a guiding principle to create architecture with unique and functional housing of high quality that supports the good life and uses the unique location to its benefit.

Nicolinehus comprises a total of 243 apartments, with eight of them functioning as town houses. and city. In addition to giving the building a distinct and attractive expression, the terraced structure provides the best views of the city, its forests, and the ocean, and plenty of space to enjoy all kinds of quality of life – whether this is a cup of coffee in the quite morning hours, watering plants, or just watching as the sun disappears behind the bay.
Nicolinehus has been developed with a long-term perspective in mind – both in relation to its social, economic, and environmental value creation. It is a building that can withstand being used, and where solid materials such as brick, wood and concrete dominate and, in combination with bright, hanging terraces, help to bring variation to the surrounding urban space. In addition, the red bricks that particularly characterizes the building accommodates both the connection to Aarhus City Centre and the environment of the old industrial port area – a necessary quality if the building is to withstand the harsh port environment for the next 100 years.