arki_lab has facilitated a process of developing visions for the new Campus Odsherred in Asnæs – visions that have been developed through an extensive citizen involvement process. arki_lab also produced a competition program that served for the following architectural competition.

With the help of Odsherred Municipality, EUC Nordvestsjælland in Fårevejle, a trade school, and Odsherreds Gymnasium, a high school, are merging to create a new educational hub, offering a multitude of educational and recreational activities for both students and local residents. Odsherred Municipality has designated Asnæs as the municipal ‘youth city’, and Campus Odsherred will play a big part in the new identity of the town.

Vision

In order to start a conversation and direct the progression of the project, arki_lab has co-authoring a vision document for the future Campus Odsherred together with students and local citizens. An active citizen and actor dialogue has been conducted with the aim of creating increased value, unity and sense of ownership; Campus Odsherred must reflect the visions of future users and embrace the local community in order to be both relevant and resilient. The surrounding area of Odsherred is characterised by a unique landscape created by the retreating glaciers of ages past, and is home to an abundance of high quality produce as well as a rich cultural history. The new Campus Odsherred will reflect these distinguishing features and qualities of the region, thus anchoring it's identity in larger story of the region.

Throughout the spring of 2021, arki_lab has conducted the involvement process through a large number of workshops, walks, meetings, interviews and telephone conversations with everything from students to local citizens, companies, associations and educational institutions. As a result, valuable new ideas and suggestions for the campus have emerged, and the local community has both been connected to the campus, and created a new link among themselves. The vision document was also used in following the fund application for A.P. Møller Fonden, who ended up supporting the Campus Odsherred project with 25 millions DKK.

Competition program

In continuation of the vision document, arki_lab has assisted the client by producing a competition program for the architectural competition for Campus Odsherred. The program holds guidelines to how the existing buildings of the site have to be renovated and how new ones must be built, all with new and modern teaching facilities. Another important element has been the formulation of the transformation of the outdoor areas and landscape which should not only be an attractive space for the pupils, but also for the surrounding community. It has been crucial for arki_lab to ensure a red thread throughout the whole process, so that the citizens’ dreams and visions from the initial phase are included in the program and thus are incorporated in the following final architectural design. In autumn 2022, a panel of judges chose Team Vandkunsten's proposal as the winner of the future Campus Odsherred with the project title ”A new gathering point”.