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With a population of approximately 845,000, Aarhus is the second largest metropolitan area in Denmark, after Copenhagen. Home to major educational, technological, and industrial organizations, the city has been steadily growing over the past few decades. To answer the growing need for affordable housing around the downtown area, Danish architecture firm 3XN has envisioned a 97-metre residential tower to rise in the immediate vicinity of Aarhus University, along a busy arterial road known as Randersvej.
Developed by Jens Richard Pedersen, La Tour tower will include 22,500 square metres of residential space across 31 floors. Most of the 300 affordable housing units will feature at least three bedrooms, with larger layouts to be found on the upper levels of the edifice. Gradually rising to its final height from a five-storey semi-circular podium equipped with a park, the tower is characterized by ample terraces and built-in balconies, benefiting every dwelling. The grid highlighting each unit on the building's facade aims at reducing the sensation of height, while giving movement to the surface.
As the tower is shaped to provide maximum daylight exposure and optimal views of the surrounding city and the Kattegat Sea, La Tour also aims to become a prominent feature of both the neighbourhood and larger Aarhus. It will also become the city's tallest building, surpassing the height of the Aarhus Cathedral by a mere metre. Its geographic position in one of the highest areas of the city will make the tower visible from many vantage points, while its location beside a heritage water tower was cautiously arranged.
Indeed, the gradual curve marking the transition of the building from mid-rise to highrise also provides a transition between 3XN's work and the adjacent historic landmark. Carefully planned to positively impact the neighbourhood with additional density, the tower was recently approved by the Aarhus municipal council. Construction is planned to start in the summer of 2016, with the demolition of the former La Tour Hotel, currently on site. A tentative delivery date is scheduled for late 2018 or early 2019.
Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below, including previous iterations of the project. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.
