The former laboratory building situated at Eternitten is a fantastic setting for Streetmekka Aalborg. The now empty production building from 1963 testifies to the industrial history of the neighborhood with its raw and distinctive character, almost demanding to be conquered by urban street culture. Our main concept is to merge the informal nature of street activities into the existing laboratory building frames, and create spatial ‘experiments’ that inspire new connections between the many activities of Streetmekka.
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The laboratory building consists of two sections, originally housing different functions: The Experimental Hall and the Laboratory Wing. The original design of the sections reflects their past industrial purpose, naturally resulting in very different spaces which represent very different potentials.
With a pragmatic approach, we link the future Streetmekka activities with the space that offers the necessary conditions and opportunities. The Experimental Hall with its height and spaciousness is the perfect setting for bouldering, parkour, basketball, and street soccer. The activities with practical and acoustic requirements such as the dance hall, sound studio, street kitchen and office spaces are placed in the Lab Wing. The outdoor area is organized as a gigantic streetscape with calisthenics area, parkour track, and a boulder rock. The façade of the laboratory building becomes a living canvas for street art.
Inspired by the beauty of the existing building, we have strived to preserve its industrial magic and generate an environment which invites the users to play and experiment with new forms of movement, social meetings, and surprising happenings. Echoing the purpose of its past, our aim has been to create a thriving and dynamic ‘street laboratory’!
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Program: In-house facilities for street sports and street culture
SIZE: +2.500 m2
LOCATION: Aalborg, DK
CLIENT: Aalborg Municipality
YEAR: 2016
Type: Invited competition – 1st prize
ECONOMY: DKK 15.7 million
SERVICE: Main consultant architecture and landscape
In COLLABORATION WITH: Pallisgaard A/S, Moe A/S, Street Arena, Abekatten / Virklund, CLEAN
