Commitment 06Read more
Port Culture and Identity
Local port identity as a key asset for building a lasting relationship
Developing all types of promenades and other open spaces in City Port interface zones, to promote a better understanding of port and logistic activities.
How to sustainably create an attractive waterfront?
To sustainably create an attractive waterfront, it’s essential to prioritise innovative architectural designs that harmonise with natural elements, such as those seen in the Fjordenhus project in Vejle Harbour. Collaborating with landscape architects and incorporating environmentally friendly materials, like glazed brickwork that interacts with weather and light reflections, can enhance the aesthetic appeal while minimising ecological impact. Additionally, integrating mixed-use spaces, such as restaurants, cafés, and office buildings, fosters a dynamic relationship between urban areas and waterfronts, promoting community engagement and economic vitality.
This good practice also includes objective 8.3 (Developing public spaces and recreational or cultural amenities in City Port interface zones to create an appealing new area) of the AIVP’s 2030 Agenda.
The Vejle Harbour development project hosts a marina and the new head offices of Kirk Kapital, as well as Harbour Island, a man-made island on which twelve office and residential buildings are to be built. The project is aimed at promoting a dynamic relationship between the downtown area and the Vejle fjord. Designed by Olafur Eliasson, the architecture of Fjordenhus (Fjord house), the Kirk Kapital A/S head office and its open spaces – located at the southern end of Harbour Island – is original and unique. There are restaurants and cafés on the ground floor, while the rest of the building is used for office space. Comprising four interconnected cylinders towering at 28 meters, the building emerges from Vejle Fjord, establishing a link between the city centre and the water. Its ground floor, with arched openings and windows, engages with the surrounding fjord's natural elements, while its distinctive glazed brickwork in shades of green and blue interacts with weather and light reflections. The building's fusion of architecture and art is designed to create an ongoing conversation with the sea. Eliasson's architectural pursuits will now be centred in his Studio Other Spaces (SOS), founded with Sebastian Behmann, focusing on interdisciplinary and experimental projects similar in scale to Fjordenhus.
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