Together with 3XN, GXN architects and William McDonough + Partners was selected to create a vision and development plan for the Agro Food Park in Skejby, located in the northern part of Aarhus, Denmark.
The team presented their proposal for how to develop an urban environment that promotes innovation, knowledge sharing and interaction between companies in the Agro Food Park, which is the centre for food and agricultural innovation.
World Leading Cluster
Agro Food Park has the ambition to become a world leading cluster for food and agriculture innovation. But what can create the physical basis for an ecosystem of knowledge exchange?
People, Knowledge and Ideas
First and foremost, it is important to emphasize that a physical master plan can only be the basis for this development. The physical environment should be populated by people and ideas that provides the physical framework meaning and content.
The Strip, The Plazas, The Lawn
We have in our approach focused on developing and strengthening Agro Food Park’s identity through three primary spatial and landscape concepts which we have called “The Strip”, “The Plazas” and “The Lawn”.
These three concepts relates to what we believe are the key elements for the future cluster, namely the urban and the agro culture. The Strip is a street and campus course with open facades and shared amenities. It is here the companies and knowledge institutions of Agro Food Park display their identity and products.
The main street is built in a density that create life and activity, kept in a human scale. The Plazas are a number of plazas that have urban density and experiential qualities and gives local character to the surrounding buildings.The Lawn is the central open green area in the masterplan. It functions as the showroom for experimentation and innovation within agriculture and food production.
Resource Management
The innovative character of Agro Food Park should not only be represent in the work being done in the park but also in the approach to building the area.
The 5 focus areas are: Healthy Materials, Clean Energy, Increased Biodiversity, Healthy Air and Clean Water.
Space
“A carbon positive city demonstration at The Agro Food Park can be the embodiment of this new century—its clean water, air, soils and energy serving as a continuous source of economic and ecological innovation and regeneration, redefining how we act now for a positive future”. Source by William Mcdonough + Partnershttp.
- Location: Aarhus, Denmark
- Architect Team Leader: 3XN and GXN architects
- Collaborating: William McDonough + Partners
- Planning: BVCA Architects and Urland
- Client: Agro Food Park, Realdania Aarhus, Denmark
- Area: 2020 Phase -92,200 m2, 2030 Phase -200,00 m2
- Status: Master plan competition 2015
- Images: Courtesy of William McDonough + Partners
