"Godsbanen" (Godsbanen) translated from Danish means "freight rail transport". This is the name of the cultural and production center, built by the 3XN bureau in Aarhus - the second largest city in Denmark. The building got its name because it is located on the site of the railway depot.
Aarhus and Copenhagen in Denmark are like Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia, Rome and Milan in Italy, Munich and Berlin in Germany. When Denmark won Eurovision this year, Aarhus residents were outraged that Copenhagen, and not their city, would host this song contest in 2014. In general, relations between cities are the most competitive.
The most famous architectural institute in Denmark is located in Aarhus, and most of the graduates stay in the city for the first time. Later, some leave for Copenhagen, but the rest have been working in Aarhus all their lives, absolutely not feeling the desire and need to move to the Danish capital. And this is not surprising: today the architect has no less work in Aarhus, and maybe even more, than in Copenhagen.
The fact is that Aarhus has set himself the task of becoming the cultural capital of the country. A special program was developed, methodically implementing which, the residents and authorities of Aarhus plan to make their city a venue for all major cultural events and a point of attraction for tourists.
It all started with architecture. The city of Aarhus is industrial, and, of course, like in any similar center, many enterprises are closed over time, and industrial facilities are abandoned. This is how the old railway depot in a developing urban area was empty, attracting an unwanted contingent that did not at all fit into the rosy picture of Aarhus of the Future. Therefore, it was decided to turn the depot into a cultural and production center. A competition was announced, which was won by architects 3XN, whose first office was, by the way, opened in Aarhus. They won because their project, according to the jury, connected the urban fabric with a historical, functional and spatial point of view.
Godsbahnen is a special project: it is entirely dedicated to society. You can come here at any time, for free or for a symbolic fee, attend various courses or just chat with friends, eat in a cafe, lie on the couch with a laptop, do homework, and so on. There are people of different ages who are happy to communicate with each other. But the Danes are closed and not the most sociable people, for free communication they need certain conditions, and in "Godsbanen" they are.
The spirit of history can also be found here. Hangars, which used to serve as storage of goods, remind of the depot that stood at this place. Now they hold various events, including discos. Not immediately noticeable detail - old scales: they are in excellent condition and still work. We left them in the center in memory of the past.
The main, central volume of "Godsbahnen" is a modern building. Everything in the interior is very simple and democratic: a lot of plywood, ceramic tiles, open structural elements. But whether such constant “architectural democracy” is good is a big question; in Denmark it can be found almost everywhere, but it is not always appropriate. But here at Godsbahnen it is more than appropriate.
The furniture in the hall supports the “idea of democracy”. It was collected here from different residential buildings, so each chair and wardrobe here has its own style and its own history. And this heterogeneous furniture gives the place charm and comfort.
From the café of the Godsbahnen center you can get into the courtyard, where installations are periodically placed or exhibitions of works made by students of local courses are held. Workshops are located along the perimeter of the complex and in almost all cases can change their size depending on the task at hand. This is especially important for the acting courses also held at Godsbahnen.
The key, most beautiful element of the project is the roof, which unites all parts of the complex. You can walk freely on it, and from its highest point a beautiful view of the whole of Aarhus opens up. There are always a lot of people here: someone has squatted, leaning against the skylights, and makes sketches, someone is riding a skateboard, someone is eating sweet Danish herring, enjoying the panorama of the surroundings.
These hatches provide the interior with natural light. It was assumed that from the roof through them it would be possible to observe what is happening inside the building, but in the Danish climate they quickly become dirty, and the premises are poorly visible, like in fog. Solar panels are used in the exterior cladding, which work quite successfully - which is a bit unexpected in such a climate.
Residents of Aarhus appreciated the "Godsbahnen". If you ask any city dweller what he thinks about this project, then you will definitely be told that their daughter, sister, dad, grandfather or they themselves are frequent guests here. But the most important thing is that people come here specially from Copenhagen, and this is already a small architectural victory for Aarhus.
