On 30 August, a meeting was held at the Town Hall for Mediaspace’s strategy- and concept group, which consists of representatives from among others the municipality, Citizens’ Services, the libraries, Aarhus School of Architecture, and Concert Hall Aarhus.

Project manager Marie Østergård started by providing an overview of activities since the last meeting and plans for the immediate future. Following this a debate about what was in store was held and ideas and suggestions exchanged, before Morten Weise Olesen, project manager at the New University Hospital in Aarhus, spoke about the largest hospital project in Denmark.

The Skejby extension

In 15 years, Aarhus Hospital and Skejby Hospital will be merged on Skejby Field. As a result, Aarhus Hospital’s wards on Nørrebrogade, Tage-Hansens Gade and MarselisborgCentret will be moved to Skejby. This constitutes the largest hospital reorganisation ever carried out in Denmark and is naturally very important for the citizens in Aarhus and Central Denmark Region. In relation to the new hospital, 500,000 m2 of property must be purchased of which 250,000 m2 will be new buildings in themselves worth approximately 5.5 – 6 billion Danish Kroner.

Although Mediaspace’s budget and 21,000 m2 may dwindle into insignificance beside this new hospital, there are many common features between the two projects, which both mean large changes and advantages to the everyday lives of people in Aarhus.

Inspiration for staff involvement

Morten Weise Olesen gave an inspiring and very enthusiastic presentation about the Skejby extension and presented several ideas which may well be implemented in the Mediaspace project.

’The project organisation and staff involvement for the Skejby extension is visionary and definitely an inspiration for the Mediaspace project. The organisation is undergoing constant development and is thus abreast of development, which is something we also strive for’, says Mediaspace project manager Marie Østergård.

The large harbour extension, which includes Mediaspace, and the Skejby extension will come to have an impact on Aarhus for many years to come and it is therefore important to learn from and inspire each other to ensure the best possible result. The meeting with Morten Weise Olesen is thus part of a process which will inspire Mediaspace to meet the challenges and opportunities which will emerge during the project.