An important milestone in the largest city development project in the City of Aarhus’ history was reached on 25 June 2008 when the six competing teams submitted their proposals for the design of a new central urban waterfront and Mediaspace in Aarhus.

On 25 June, the six competing teams submitted their project proposals. The six teams selected by the City of Aarhus and Realdania to make proposals for an exciting correlation between the city and the bay is a mix of Danish and international participants. It is a comprehensive and complex assignment which is to be solved and the teams have been picked based upon, among other things, their references within cultural building projects and urban spaces, and economy. Ahead is an intense process with evaluation of the submitted project proposals.

Evaluation of the First Phase of the Competition

The evaluation committee which is to carry out the evaluation consists of representatives from all political parties in Aarhus City Council, Realdania, Realea A/S and a number of specialist judges.

The evaluation committee will evaluate the proposals of the six teams during August. The committee can choose one winner or a number of equal winners of the first phase of the competition. If more than one winner is chosen, the winners will subsequently be invited to participate in a tender following negotiation, which will take place during autumn 2008. This part of the competition will focus on the companies’ ability for qualified participation in the further process and the projects’ ability and robustness in regard to keeping within the financial frame will be analysed.

Anonymous Entry and Confidential Negotiation

The teams’ submission of proposals is anonymous and only after the evaluation is complete can the names of the winning teams from phase one be published. Only after the final winner has been found in early 2009 will it be possible to publish and exhibit the exciting proposals. The reason is that according to the rules the negotiation phase in the autumn must be confidential.

The rather unusual competition form is a conscious choice as it helps to ensure that focus is on economy and integrated design from the start. At the same time it is an important precondition that dialogue with competitors is possible throughout the process, as the involved parties are certain that this will ensure a better result.

The city development project includes construction of bastion with establishment of parking facilities, construction of Mediaspace, opening of the final stretch of the river, establishment of new waterfront spaces, and solutions to a range of infrastructural challenges in the area. Mediaspace is expected to be finished in late 2014 and the waterfront spaces in late 2015.