Dokk1: A Gathering Place on the Harbor

Dokk1 brings together people with different purposes and connects the harbor with the city in Aarhus. Here, book lovers, culture enthusiasts, study groups, and families can settle in among bookshelves and concrete decks.

Dokk1 (pronounced ‘Dokk-en’ or ‘Dokk-ét’ – derived from the Danish words for ‘dock’ and ‘one’) is one of Aarhus’ diverse meeting places. The large building is elevated above street level and placed where the Aarhus River flows into Aarhus Bay – serving as a link between the historic city center and the waterfront.

The building is the centerpiece of an ambitious master plan to revitalize the former industrial harbor and houses the main library, the city archives, and a small group of private companies.

To avoid creating a building that contrasts too sharply with the rugged harbor surroundings, some of the same materials and industrial expressions are used in Dokk1 – with a modern twist. The main staircase is made of concrete, just like the library’s “decks” and parts of the facade. In several places on the concrete deck, you can stand under cover, as the first floor is a twisted block that extends over the lower glass section, creating a reference to a large ship docked in the harbor.

More Than Just a Harbor

The ideas behind the planning of the harbor front closest the city began in 1997 when the Aarhus Municipality decided to extend the harbor into the bay to free up areas closer to the city for purposes other than harbor operations. Architects Peer Teglgaard Jeppesen and Knud Fladeland Nielsen won the 1999 idea competition for the new harborfront area with a visionary proposal that included Dokk1 as a central element.

A Good Kind of Chaos

It’s a bit overwhelming to get an overview of the place when you step through the main entrance of Dokk1. Like any other main library, there’s a lot going on, so the place is bustling with life and just a little bit of chaos.

The first thing you encounter is citizen services, where Aarhusians are handling documents and passports. But through the gaps of people in line, you can catch a glimpse of the bookshelves and a lending desk, reminding you of the place’s main purpose.
On the other side of the crowd, you can see fine details that almost make the raw expression poetic. In addition to plenty of bookshelves, the main library features platforms in various shapes and heights and small reading nooks, making it possible to do different activities in the same place. Deeply focused students are not far from children and parents building with Lego.

The Third Space

Outside, on the surrounding concrete deck, there are five playgrounds and seating areas for adults. Each play area represents a specific continent and is built like a compass pointing to the four cardinal directions. For example, you can challenge your balance on ice floes to the north or climb on the broad wingspan of the North American eagle to the west.

One of the architectural firm’s main goals was to rethink the function of the library and the type of space citizens needed. Schmidt Hammer Lassen describes the place as a “third space,” meaning the space between home and work, where different people can meet.

This is an English translation made with an AI-based service and subsequently reviewed by an editor. For any clarifications, refer to the original Danish version.