International Design Competition for Architecture School in Aarhus (Denmark). Design choosen for final review (highlited group).

"This open design competition was the first exciting step towards a new school of Architecture in Aarhus - the first time ever a new school of architecture is going to be built in Denmark. After many years in outdated facilities, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Aarhus School of Architecture have agreed on obtaining a new building for the school. To manage and develop the project, Aarhus School of Architecture has chosen the Danish Building & Property Agency. The competition was moreover launched with the assistance of the Danish Architects’ Association and with funding from Realdania. The aim of the open design competition was to re-think the programming of a modern school of architecture and achieve the best, most visionary ideas. Aarhus School of Architecture and the Danish Building & Property Agency were therefore delighted to invite all architects and architecture students to present their ideas for the new school. They hoped for the engagement and participation of the entire profession and the result was overwhelming. 230 entries from across the world. We are very grateful and will like to thank all the entrants for all the hard work they have put into the project."

Nowadays the main purpose of architecture school is not only to stimulate creativity and provide the necessary infrastructure for designing but also positively influence a neighborhood and local society. In the age of common access to information, paradigm of the school, as an enclosed "teaching machine" gave a way to an understanding of it rather as a place of gaining and exchanging information - not only between stuff and student but also between locals, municipality, NGOs, professionals and all other people related to design process as well. Crucial function of the building is to give a flexible, diversified and democratic space which can stimulate the discussion and involve people in participation processes on different levels. Our aim is to develop maximally open, bright and convenient common space, protected from external conditions by perforated structure of architecture school which fluently connects with the public space and gives diversified conditions for teaching out of the classical enclosed building framework.