LISBJERG

In 2002, the Danish Architects Association and the Municipality of Aarhus announced an idea competition for the planning of a new urban area at Lisbjerg north of Aarhus. Lisbjerg is situated on a hill with a view of the southern part of Aarhus. The area lies near major infrastructural approaches to Aarhus city and also to the main highway, which connecting Jutland from North to South.

Kollision participated in collaboration with Julie Reinau, creating a project based on a number of simple rules aimed at guiding the development of the area in three different directions. Our approach was meant as a critique of the traditional lack of openness in urban planning projects. The main concept was to create three zones of growth based on different strategies in three different places and allowing the citizens to develop these areas. As the three growth zones evolved, they would slowly take over the landscape, and mix with the other zones.

The project was communicated through a series of fictional stories told by future inhabitants from the different growth zones. This approach provided a series of different views on the new urbanization and the various qualities, and defects, of the areas. The individual growth zones settlement principles are sparsely illustrated, primarily communicating the programmatic and spatial diversities of the three zones.