The future Mediaspace in Aarhus will become an icon for Aarhus as a modern, internationally oriented city of knowledge. Citizens and visitors of the city will have an open and attractive meeting place with state-of-the-art access to knowledge and influence. The ambitions are sky-high, the preparations are comprehensive, the inspiration is gathered from all over the world, and the citizen involvement is unique.

Presentation of the Winning Project

At a press- and presentation meeting Tuesday 3 March 2009, the City of Aarhus can present the winning project, which will hold a public library of international format in 2015.

The design of the new library – with the working title Mediaspace – is part of the competition on ‘New Central Urban Waterfront Space and Mediaspace’ organised by the City of Aarhus and Realdania.

With a budget of 1.7 billion Danish Kroner it is an epochal urban development and architectural project, which will form the city’s new waterfront at the mouth of Aarhus River; a unique area, where the city was founded in the viking age.

Unique Location

With this project a new active urban space will be created at the city’s edge, where the urban space will generate life and diversity. The space will offer opportunities for physical activities, interaction and recreational use, and on one bastion Mediaspace will be constructed as an icon for Aarhus as a city of knowledge.

The new Main Library with Citizens’ Services will be situated in a melting pot of cultural and educational institutions and Mediaspace will thus become a natural meeting point and excursion spot.

Functions of the Building

Inside the building will be many options for experience, absorption, learning, activity, tranquillity and contemplation. You can borrow books and other media, attend talks and events, and interact with analogue and digital offers. You can pick up your new passport, driving license or be guided through self-service services in Citizens’ Services, and at the same time the surrounding harbour area offers opportunities for active out-door activities in beautiful surroundings.

It is expected that Mediaspace will have more than 3000 daily visitors – or in excess of one million visitors per year. Mediaspace will thus have an important democratic function; an inspirational place which ensures the individual citizen opportunities for a differentiated choice of media and access to knowledge, influence and development.

Background for the Project

In 2003, Aarhus City Council decided that the existing main library in Mølleparken in central Aarhus should be replaced with a future-oriented and ground-breaking Mediaspace, which at the same time will act as an out-reaching organisation able to work outside the framework of the building as an active cooperation partner for the existing cultural, educational and business environments in Aarhus.

Experiences from some of the world’s leading libraries are part of the knowledge. In connection with the preliminary work, knowledge has been gathered from libraries and cultural institutions from Denmark and abroad – e.g. from the libraries in Seattle and Charlotte in the US, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Hjørring in Denmark.

The citizens’ knowledge and experiences are also weighed highly in the project. Based on the Aarhus-model for citizen involvement it has been essential to have the citizens at the centre throughout the process. A wide range of citizen and user involvement processes has already influenced the project – e.g. Mediaspace’s core values have been designed by citizens and users.

Project Finances

The total project is budgeted at 1.7 billion Danish Kroner (2008 price-level). Aarhus City Council has allocated resources for Mediaspace, traffic rerouting, opening of the river, and the new central urban waterfront. The project will receive further funding from the proceeds of the sale of the existing main library in Mølleparken and income from renting out part of Mediaspace.

Furthermore, Realdania and its subsidiary company Realea A/S provide the opportunity to lift the entire project through a commitment of approximately 700 million Danish Kroner (2008 price-level) which will be used partly for constructing an innovative parking facility with room for 1000 cars, and partly for the development of an exceptional and vibrant urban waterfront.