The Iceberg Aarhus, Denmark
The Iceberg comprises 208 apartments on the outmost harbour front in the vibrant Aarhus Ø (Aarhus East) district. To obtain optimal daylight conditions and views over the bay, the angled volumes are cut up by a jagged roof profile. Instead of following the masterplan made up of primarily closed blocks, The Iceberg is laid out as four L-shaped wings. Arranged like carefully organised mountain peaks and valleys, it allows even apartments in the back row to enjoy generous natural lighting and stunning views of the rising peaks and the water.
The Iceberg is one of the first completed projects in the redevelopment of Aarhus’s former container port. Like many other run-down industrial harbour fronts, the area is being transformed into a dynamic new neighbourhood that, on completion, will be home to 7,000 inhabitants and provide 12,000 workplaces. Its total site area of 800,000 m2, making it one of Europe’s largest harbour front city developments.
Rational considerations shaped the design
The initial idea was neither to create an iconic form nor to make a building that looks like an iceberg. Instead, the project originates from very rational considerations and classic architectural virtues. The inspiration for the Iceberg originated primarily from the site’s extraordinary location, offering great views and daylight. By turning well-known architectural elements upside down and combining them in different ways, these rational, rather basic considerations resulted in an extraordinary and forward-thinking residential complex.
To achieve these positive features throughout the entire complex, the design team challenged the constraints imposed by the district plan, including the required high building density and the relatively low permissible building height. Instead of following the master plan, which was dominated by traditional closed building blocks with central courtyards, the L-shaped wings created an open space in between them. By remaining well below the height limit at many points while exceeding it at others, the average height was kept within the permissible limits.
In selected areas, the building's structure is pressed down towards street level to create a harbour-oriented character and scale that interacts with the seafront promenade and public spaces. In other areas, the structure is pulled upwards to create more urban qualities, with a greater orientation towards the city and the Iceberg’s landward neighbours.
Supports community living
The varying building volumes enabled the arrangement of a wide range of apartment types within the complex. Ranging from 55 to 227 m2, the dwellings span from two-storey ‘town houses’ and affordable smaller apartments to exclusive penthouses in the peaks of The Iceberg. The variety of residences with different balconies, shapes, and orientations, as well as the combination of owner-occupied and rented flats, creates a lively local community rather than a mere series of housing blocks.
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