Does Aarhus ring a bell?

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Does
Aarhus
ring a bell?
It might be our world-class university. It might be our innovative solutions to
global problems. It might be the architecture or the 150-metre-long rainbow
on top of our museum. Who knows? No matter where you have heard about
our city, Aarhus is making its mark on our planet as we speak.
Learn how inside.
03 Long live entrepreneurship
Citywide collaboration is the real differentiator
06 Capital of wind energi
The world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer
moves to Aarhus
11 Form and function at its finest
Aarhus has the architectural foundation for growth
14 From India to Aarhus
Building a life as expat in Denmark
Photo: Ann Schyberg

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Aarhus. Danish
for Progress
From the economy to the environment and
the future of welfare; In Aarhus, people work
together to find innovative solutions to the
world’s problems.
When the Japanese technology giant Panasonic was looking for
the ideal place for its Robot Development Center to test welfaretechnology
aimed at nursing homes and hospitals, Denmark was
a first and natural place to look. With its historically strong focus
on welfare, Denmark offered access to the most modern and extensive
knowledge in welfare technology. As a result, Panasonic
now develops welfare technologies, such as robotic beds, in the
city of Aarhus.
continues page 4 →
Short facts about Aarhus
Second largest city in Denmark
Population: 310.000
Population within a 1-hour drive: 1.2 million
Number of students: 40.000
Number of international full-adegree students at
Aarhus University: 2.917
Number of degree programmes taught in English: 67
Percentage of residents enrolled in a University
programme: 13%
Jacob Bundsgaard, Mayor of
Aarhus, is spearheading an effort
to create a new innovation fund
supporting projects that will help
solve the demographic challenges
of the future.
Photo: Jacob Lerche
2

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Where
food of
the future
is designed
Agro Food Park in north Aarhus anticipates
accommodating 3,000 science-based jobs
in 10 years. The goal is to become a worldclass
player in the food sector.
The demands of food and agricultural
production in the future are numerous. And
there is plenty of money, competitiveness
and potential for those with the right solution.
Solutions for the food of the future are partly
to be found in the knowledge and innovation
park of Agro Food Park in Skejby in northern
Aarhus.
The goal is for the park to be one of the
world’s five strongest competitive centres for
innovation and knowledge within the agriculture
and food sector by 2020, with a team of
50 companies and 3,000 employees.
Bjarne Langdahl Riis is the innovation
manager for Agro Food Park. He is currently
witness to the park’s rapid expansion and
development.
“We have a waiting list for new companies,
so there is a lot of interest. On January 1st, we
will be welcoming 16 new companies, taking
the total number of employees to 800, which
enables us to create both an international and
national identity for agriculture and food.”
UNIQUE CO-OPERATION
The framework, concept and backing are in
place, companies are streaming in, and the
co-operation with Aarhus University and the
agricultural community is simply unique.
“We are creating the framework for innovation
in the food industry, and knowledge is
our product. Our strength lies in facilitating
the entire chain, and this must hang together.
Feed the world 2050 – this is our focus
together with international researchers and
companies. Knowledge is the future for Denmark,”
believes Bjarne Langdahl Riis.
Part of Agro Food Park’s focus is for the
world to have sufficient and healthy food by
2050.
“There must be environmentally-friendly
production methods, and if this is to be
achieved, we must work together both nationally
and internationally. Aarhus and East
Jutland harbour plenty of opportunities with
their high concentration of jobs and knowledge
within the food, agriculture and energy
sectors. 30.000 people with a long specialized
education in science are gathered within
one square kilometre, and the infrastructure
is first class. So all the pre-requisites are in
place here, including a university that wants
to be involved,” says Bjarne Langdahl Riis.
Agro Food Park also works on an international
scale.
The goal is to be a permanent player when
the big food companies in the region work
with innovative international activities.
STACKS OF OPPORTUNITY
Neighbours in Skejby include Vestas, NRGI,
Rambøll, VIA and, last but not least, the
New University Hospital, which with its ultra
modern facilities and latest health education
courses, is an obvious collaboration partner
in many areas.
“We are working with the docters at the
hospital on what symptoms they see in their
patients. Diabetes and obesity are public
diseases, and today’s foods do not fill you
up. When people have such a poor diet,
we need everyone in the health service on
board to develop the right food, and this is
where we become a force to be reckoned
with.”
Agro Food Park is a knowledge park – a nerve centre for building of exchanging knowledge between universities, companies,
organisations and municipalities that are active in the agriculture, energy and food sector. Agro Food Park’s goal is to be able
to compete on both a national and international scale, providing optimum conditions for knowledge sharing and innovation.
The park will act as the leading sales pitch for Denmark as a European competitive centre for agriculture, energy and food
innovation. The goal is for Agro Food Park to accommodate 3,000 science-based jobs by 2020. www.agrofoodpark.dk

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Aarhus attracts international attention
Panasonic is an example of how a Danish city, Aarhus, attracts
attention from an international giant. The opposite, that a small
local company develops a product that becomes a worldwide
success, is the case of CLC Bio.
The company was founded in 2005 by brothers Thomas and
Bjarne Knudsen. Bjarne had finished a PhD in bioinformatics
from the University of Aarhus and invented a piece of software
that made it easier for biologists to analyze DNA. Thomas decided
to help him find investors and build a company on the idea.
“Today, researchers around the world use our software to research
things such as genetic disorders and bio-fuels,” explains
Lasse Görlitz, director of communications at CLC Bio.
The company’s customers include MIT, Harvard University, and
the world’s 10 largest medical companies. But CLC Bio enjoys
Aarhus, just as investors and board members are predominantly
from the city.
“Graduates from Aarhus University are among the most
attractive in the fields of bioinformatics and software
engineering. In terms of attracting employees from abroad,
the city is unique in terms of beautiful nature, coupled with
its size and relaxed, youthful atmosphere,” Görlitz says.
A city of entrepreneurs
Aarhus University, which ranks 86th in the Academic Ranking
of World Universities, is a major factor behind students’ and
businesses’ interest in Aarhus. Recently, Aarhus University was
named the leading entrepreneurial institution in Denmark by
the Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority. The decision
to award this distinction was partially based on the fact that all
students receive some form of training in entrepreneurship, no
matter what subject they study.
“This is a tremendous strength for graduates, whether they decide
to start their own business or pursue a career in an existing
company. Having skills in entrepreneurship is always an asset
in today’s global knowledge society,” says Pro-Rector Søren E.
Frandsen.Being able to bring together talented people across
disciplines in physical space is another reason Aarhus attracts
people and businesses. Combining knowledge with political vision
and financial solutions is another.
Last month, despite the economic downturn experience across
the country and world, of the city government decided to set
aside 40 million DKK a year from 2013 to create a development
fund for innovation projects. Projects will focus on innovative
ways to strengthen public service – in areas such as children,
schools, rehabilitation and the elderly, without added costs.
“We developed a new brand for the city called ‘Aarhus – Danish
for Progress.’ What the brand says is that the city tries to offer
the best possible framework for innovation, development and
growth needed to meet the challenges of the future,” says Jacob
Bundsgaard, Mayor of Aarhus.
A growing city
The hospital of the future
Aarhus is growing. The city attracts an increasing number
of residents, employees, businesses and students, and as a
result, new development and construction is booming. In the
next 10 years, a substantial part of the Aarhus Harbour will
be turned into a new city neighbourhood with businesses,
residential areas, research institutions – such as a new
center for energy research called Navitas, a multimedia hub
and a library – and a multimedia hub and library. The new
harbour area will be home to 7.000 residents and 12.000
employees.
Photo: C.F. Møller
Across the city, planned building projects amount to
more than 45 billion DKK.
www.businessaarhus.com
Founded by Vikings – inhabited
by students
Founded by the Vikings around year 700, Aarhus is one
of Denmark’s oldest cities. At the same time, its inhabitants
are younger than average – more than one in ten is
a student. With Aarhus University (AU) among the leading
universities in the world, more than 40.000 students – from
Denmark and abroad – study at AU or one of the city’s
other 130 educational institutions.
Aarhus and the Region of Central Denmark is building
Northern Europe’s largest university hospital. When ready in
2019, the hospital will take up 344.000 m2, receive 900.000
in- and outpatients a year.
The hospital is designed as a small city with neighbourhoods,
streets, and squares creating a dynamic and green city.
Light, fresh air and single occupancy rooms are important
ingredients to faster healing, according to the Aarhusbased
architects C. F. Møller, who have taken an innovative
approach to design called “healing architecture”.
From the get-go, the hospital was designed to meet future
demands for technology, therapies and ways of working –
much of which is unknown today.
4

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Visualisering: C. F. Møller Landskab
Keeping traffic
By Gunnar Lomborg
moving in Aarhus
Atkins, Europe’s largest consultancy firm, is working to make Aarhus easier to navigate.
Atkins are experts in infrastructure. While the
consultancy firm’s strengths lie in railways,
it also has experts in roads and air transport
who can help the state and municipalities find
the best possible solutions in these areas.
Atkins has already worked, and continues to
work, on a number of projects in Aarhus, as
the city undergoes rapid development.
“We are working on a number of projects in
and around Aarhus, such as strategic analyses
to ease traffic congestion. We have also consulted
on the future light rail project in Aarhus,
a project closely connected to the Grenaa
and Odderbane link, which is going to enable
easier and faster access to and from the city,”
explains Head of Department for Planning &
Analysis, Anders H. Kaas.
END TO TERMINUS STATION
Atkins was involved in the development of
the station area in Aarhus, which led to the
creation of Bruuns Gallery and the harbour rail
track, the latter enabling freight traffic to and
from the harbour. The long-term aim could
be to “open up” Aarhus railway station, so the
north-south railway traffic can pass through it.
Aarhus is currently similar to what you might
call a terminus station, where the trains have
to turn round and leave the same way they
came in, which slows down rail traffic.
“In addition to railway projects, we have also
taken part in studies about the position of a
city airport – a project greatly demanded for
the business community. We have investigated
whether there is a need and willingness
to invest, and whether it would be profitable,
especially in the light of a possible new and
permanent link to Kattegat. We are also working
on studies of how to ease cycle traffic, and
how to get all traffic types working together
so that we can help Aarhus limit congestion
problems by increasing the use of bikes,”
underlines Anders H. Kaas.
BILLION KRONER PROJECTS
Atkins Denmark has head office in Copenhagen
and local offices in Aarhus, Horsens
and Esbjerg. However, the company works
all over Denmark, especially on the large
railway projects, which must ensure the public
transport can handle congestion in the
future. Atkins has been selected as the consultancy
firm for projects such as The Metro
Circleline “Cityringen”, the construction of
a railway line between Copenhagen and
Ringsted, and the 6th main track in Copenhagen’s
Central Station, as well as two new
main tracks between Copenhagen’s central
station and Ny Ellebjerg. Atkins is even
involved in Europe’s largest re-signalling
scheme; the upgrading of the entire Danish
railway signalling infrastructure, a project
worth billions of kroner.
”Our strength lies in working with projects
like these in many countries on a large scale.
The experience we have achieved enables us
to see the overall perspective in local projects,
and get them to work with the rest of their
surroundings. It all has to connect together,
and we are experts in getting it to do that”,
highlights Anders H. Kaas.
Photo Ole Johnny Sørensen
Atkins has head offices in the UK, and employs 17,500 people worldwide. In Scandinavia Atkins is represented
in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with a total of 550 employees, of which 400 are in Denmark.
Atkins’ areas of specialisation are: Transport planning and analyses, railways, light rail and metros, bridges
and constructions, GIS (geographical information systems), energy, environment and architecture.

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Aarhus –
Capital of
Wind Energy
This month, the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas, moves its
headquarters to Aarhus. In September, Chinese officials visited the city to get
ideas on how to solve the country’s looming energy crisis. It took an innovative
public and private effort for Aarhus to get this far.
When Harvard Business Review in September named Vestas
Wind Systems the 11th most innovative company in the world
(Salesforce.com being number 1 and Apple number 5), it was the
result of years of pursuing an aggressive innovation strategy by
the Danish wind energy giant.
Last year, Vestas spent 2,8 billion DKK on R&D. In five years,
the number of employees in R&D has quadrupled to 2.277, the
largest such research department in the world. Founded in 1898
by a 22-year-old Danish blacksmith named Hansen, Vestas
Wind Systems today is a global market leader in developing and
producing windmills. The company, with 20.000 employees and
a global market share of 12,5 %, this month moves its headquarters
to Aarhus.
As capital of wind energy, the Aarhus area today generates 87 %
of Denmark’s combined turnover from wind energy. Last month,
the Finnish wind turbine manufacturer Winwind announced that
they are opening a branch in the city, and days later, a Chinese
delegation of energy officials visited Aarhus to find inspiration for
how the giant country can solve its energy challenge.
A historically strong focus on wind
The ability to attract the wind energy leaders to Aarhus is a consequence
of the historically strong political, technological and industrial
focus on renewable energy. Denmark was the first country
to implement wind power in energy production, building on a
vision of becoming less reliant on fossil fuels. In addition, Aarhus
was among the first cities in Denmark to map its CO2-emissions,
and today has set an ambitious goal of becoming CO2-neutral
by 2030. Political initiatives such as these have paved the way
for the close cooperation between public authorities, research
institutions, businesses, NGOs and citizens necessary to develop
a successful industry. As a consequence, Aarhus has become a
global market-leader in wind energy.
“Not only are some of the world’s largest
wind energy producers located in or
around Aarhus. The region is also home to
the largest cluster of suppliers, including
a strong research community, as well as a
growing cluster of clean-tech companies,”
says Laura Hay, Alderman at the City of
Aarhus, Department of Technical Sevices
and Environment.
Strong focus on R&D
The strong network of suppliers to the wind energy and cleantech
industries in Aarhus generate increased investments in R&D.
6

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Navitas Park – Discovering the
future of energy
Central Denmark and Aarhus play
an important role for Vestas. There
is a special know-how, knowledge
and understanding of our products
and the wind industri in general
among employees, local residents,
politicians and educational
institutions.
(Ditlev Engel, Vestas)
Aarhus is already the Capital of Wind Energy. Now, the
City is developing a new flagship centre for green energy,
called Navitas. In 2014, the 37,000 square metre building
on Aarhus Harbour will house 2,000 students and more
than 300 researchers and entrepreneurs in the field of
green energy research.
Photo: Rasmus Baaner
Ditlev Engel,
President and CEO, Vestas
Aarhus is home to a strong research focus on offshore wind
energy production, among other things.
According to Deloitte Consulting, 63 % of suppliers to the wind
energy industry increased their R&D activities in the past year. On
average, only 38 % of businesses did the same.
Two examples of suppliers, Schaeffler Group and ECM Industries,
both with offices in the Aarhus area, last month announced that
they are increasing investments in research and development.
14.000 employees, or 53 % of everyone working in the wind
energy industry, work in or around Aarhus.
(Monday Morning consulting, 2010)
”We expect increasing R&D activities in the following years. More
international companies set up R&D departments in Denmark,
and we need to create an innovation-driven business if we are
to meet global competition,” says Esben Jaedicke Christiansen,
director of sales at ECM Industries.
Aarhus as a first mover
Vestas CEO Ditlev Engel points out that Aarhus has become
a strong knowledge cluster on wind energy. “Central Denmark
and Aarhus play an important role for Vestas. There is a special
know-how, knowledge and understanding of our products and
87 % of the combined turnover from wind energy in Denmark
is generated by businesses based in or around Aarhus.
(Monday Morning consulting, 2010)
the wind industry in general among employees, local residents,
politicians and educational institutions,” says Ditlev Engel.
Attracting international employees
The increasing internationalization of the city is also important for
Vestas.
“Aarhus is the most international city in the region. In order to
attract and keep the workforce we need, both domestic and
international, we have chosen to locate our new base in Aarhus.
We think it has the right facilities – also outside of office hours. At
Vestas, we have 19 different nationalities working in the Aarhus
area at our different locations, so we have to be able to offer
them something. Aarhus has the size for critical mass to shape a
wind energy cluster” Engel says.
The Vestas CEO is especially happy that Aarhus has strengthened
its international focus by establishing “International Community”,
a one-stop-shop to help international workers and their
spouses with the transition and stay in Aarhus. He also is thrilled
that the City now offers international education, from kindergarten
to elementary schools, an international high school and
university.
7

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Hospital
Medical
Director
develops
interest
in concrete
Hospital Medical Director Claus Thomsen and
Architect Lars Juel Thiis in the project department
of the New University Hospital.
They have developed a common language and
common reference parameters in order to create
a hospital where the physical setting plays an
active role in healing the patient.
The Healthcare Staff
are talking the same
language as the
Architects, and the
architects the same
language as the
Hospital Staff. The
result is a healing
hospital, where the
building itself makes
the patient feel
better and leads
to faster discharge.
By Søren Bloch
Hospital Medical Director Claus Thomsen
has learned to speak a new language. He can
now talk about space, acoustics and building
terms – and the beauty of concrete. Terms that
normally belong to the world of Lars Juel Thiis.
He is an Architect, and he has also learned a
new language. Now he knows how to talk about
patients’ needs and recovery.
The pair of them, the Medical Director and the
Architect, are just some of the key people in the
large organisation behind one of Denmark’s most
exciting construction projects: DNU – or ‘Det
Nye Universitetshospital’ (New University Hospital)
in Aarhus, of which the Central Denmark
Region is the developer of. The construction
will gather hospital buildings from four different
addresses in Aarhus into a new hospital town
based in Skejby.
A HEALING HOUSE
Claus Thomsen notes the Architect’s reference
to a ‘healing house’.
”The physical construction of the house affects
those that enter it. Hospitals can often be very
sobering, and rarely make you feel at home.
This is a barrier we want to break down by using
more sensuous elements such as art, design
and indoor climate,” explains Lars Juel Thiis.
That is why all the hospital wards have been designed
with private wards. And views are either
of the surrounding nature or areas of life outside.
“It is particularly important for elderly patients
to be able to follow what is going on outside,”
adds the Medical Director.
However, this is not the only reason for
designing welcoming private wards.
”This has been done from a rational perspective.
On a private ward the majority of treatment
can take place on the ward itself, there is
reduced risk of cross-infection, and the patients
can make themselves more at home,” explains
Claus Thomsen.
”I am certain that it is worth the money as it will
lead to shorter spells of hospitalisation,” he adds.
IF IT ISN’T FACT…
As a doctor, he needs certainty. He is used
to working with tangible and scientific results.
Something that can be proven.
For the Architect, however, evidence is often
sufficient. Evidence builds on the best available
information from research and evaluation.

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A united University Hospital
Why spend 6.4 billion kroner on a new
University Hospital in Aarhus? We asked
Chairman of the Council of the Central
Denmark Region, Bent Hansen:
“We need a completely new hospital in
Aarhus because the current hospital buildings,
and especially Aarhus Hospital, are
worn down, outdated and have limited
expansion possibilities. The old Municipal
Hospital buildings are up to 125 years old,
and there are currently 25,000 transportations
of patients, healthcare staff and
doctors a year between the four hospital
campuses in Aarhus. We avoid all this
with the New University Hospital, where
all specialities, including psychiatry, for the
first time will be gathered in one place.
Read more about the construction on:
www.dnu.rm.dk
Research close to patients
Photo: Hartmann Schmidt
Even health research will benefit from
new surroundings in the New University
Hospital. These will be located in a
so-called Core centre, where research
will be conducted close to the patients.
The Core centre is expected to create an
international environment that will attract
foreign researchers.
And there is plenty of evidence to show that
surroundings play an important role in patient
recovery. And on staff welfare.
“Doctors are often sceptical about scientific results
if something cannot be proven,” says Lars Juel
Thiis. To him, the soft values are just as important.
Even if, according to the Medical Director,
the Architect speaks ‘the language of art’, he
respects that there are clear studies behind his
theories. These indicate that you feel better in
buildings that have a positive effect on you.
A FRUITFUL MEETING OF CULTURES
More formally one could describe the meeting
between the Medical Director and the Architect
as a meeting of cultures. We will suffice to call it
a good and fruitful collaboration between several
different trade groups.
The common language has played a crucial role,
and each party has had their eyes opened to the
other’s needs from the building.
“With my new nomenclature – doctor’s speak
for vocabulary – I have learned some trade terms
that I can use to express myself differently,” says
Claus Thomsen.
He explains that clinicians and healthcare staff
often stick to what is known, while the Architect
thinks about the future of buildings.
AH, THAT’S HOW YOU DO IT
It has led him to have quite a few ‘ah’ moments.
Like when a solution was needed for the hospital’s
emergency ward.
In a doctor’s world, the emergency ward is where
all functions are on the same level to make
things as easy as possible. But at the New
University Hospital, the proportions were too
large for this to be feasible.
The Architect’s solution was a staircase and a
glass opening, so that there is no barrier between
the floors. The staff can run about freely and also
shout to the floor above and below them.
”You are able to follow what others are doing.
The transparency creates better conditions for
everyone,” says the Medical Director, who even
in his private life has begun to look at buildings
differently.
“I have even become interested in whether a
specific type of concrete in a building is good
or bad,” says Claus Thomsen with a smile.
Luxury with a point
At first glance it appears like obscene
luxury for all patients in the New University
Hospital to have their own private ward.
But there are several good reasons for this.
conversations
All factors that result in faster recovery
and discharge of the patient.

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It’s a passion
- It’s a way of life
The Aarhus School of Architecture has the entire world as its business partner. “This is
crucial for ongoing development and regeneration,” says principal Torben Nielsen. And
it provides plenty of inspiration and committed students with vision, ideas and a desire to
think out of the box in a constantly changing world.
The world is increasingly coming to the
Aarhus School of Architecture, which benefits
from firm partnerships with other architecture
schools in places such as Sydney and
Beijing. And more locations are to come. The
school’s students also get out into the world
via study or work placements.
It is the result of a conscious effort on an
international focus. The Aarhus School of
Architecture currently provides a range of
courses for Masters students, whereby all
teaching is conducted in English. Students
from all over the world attend a two year
course that ensures that foreign students
become socially integrated in the school
and city, while also strengthening the Danish
students’ international skills. Students who
complete the course gain an “International
Master of Architecture”.
For principal Torben Nielsen, this is a natural
development.
“International co-operation is crucial for ongoing
development and regeneration. As an
educational and research institution in a minor
city in a small country, we place great importance
on international exchange. We send
researchers, teachers and students out into
the world to other architecture schools, and
we also attract foreign lecturers, researchers,
teachers and students to our school.”
NEW TECHNOLOGY AND CORE SKILLS
During September the school held a major
international workshop entitled ”Digital
Physical”. The workshop focussed on the
relationship between experimental digital
tools and computer-aided fabrication; the
students’ projects were taken from the PC
and turned into actual physical models.
“We generally expect students to have the
chance of turning their projects and ideas
into models, and preferably on a 1:1 scale,”
says Torben Nielsen and explains that “it
gives the students a true feel of what they are
working with.”
The Aarhus School of Architecture teaches
all subjects areas, from building design to
physical planning. Regardless of the subjects
you choose, focus remains on the core skills:
the artistic approach to the task and the ability
to work spatially and visually.
ENGAGING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE
The school is based in the city centre and
works closely with the city’s numerous
architecture firms. Thanks to the School
of Architecture, Aarhus currently has the
densest concentration of architects in the
whole world. The interaction that exists
between the school and the real profession
has been highlighted as a role model by
the Danish Ministry of Trade and Industry.
“We engage with the world around us, including
the city we are a part of. Throughout
the autumn, all of the school’s 800 architecture
students will be working on Aarhus,
under a project entitled “Aarhus Urban Lab”.
They will capture the city and create projects
based on the city’s squares, marketplaces
and spaces. The project will be achieved together
with architecture firms, municipalities,
cultural institutions etc. And in close dialogue
with the city’s citizens. The project is to be
included in the Aarhus Festival 2012 and in
Aarhus’s bid to become the European Capital
of Culture in 2017,” explains Torben Nielsen.
The school has also been invited to take part
in the international architecture biennial in
Venice in 2012, together with a number of
Danish and Greenlandic architect firms, the
theme being Future Greenland. 30 Masters
students will work on the project
in the coming year, in close collaboration
with Aarhus-based architecture firms CEBRA
and Transform.
“Engaging through architecture’ is our
vision,” concludes head Torben Nielsen.
Or as one student replied when asked to
describe his studies at the Aarhus School
of Architecture, “It’s a passion – It’s a way
of life”.
The Aarhus School of Architecture is a further educational establishment under the Danish Ministry of Research, Innovation and Further
Education. The school provides graduate courses, a two year Masters, and a PhD, and has approx. 800 registered students and approx.
100 full-time teachers and researchers. Around 20 pct. of the school’s students come from abroad. Read more about the Aarhus School of
Architecture on http://en.aarch.dk

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A
dynamic
beauty
Aarhus wins praise from a prize-winning architect who
enjoys the view and energy of the city.
As one of Denmarks leading architects, Mads Møller (70), partner
in the prize-winning Aarhus-based firm C.F. Møller Architects, has
a keen understanding of what makes a city great.
Aarhus, the city to where his father C.F. Møller started the company
in 1931 with the design of the University of Aarhus and the
hospital of Aarhus, is dear to him.
As he sits on the top floor of the 13-story tall office building
“Europa-house” near the harbour with a 360-degree view of the
city, Mads Møller does not hesitate to call Aarhus beautiful.
“The geometry of the city is perfectly balanced. Nestled by the
sea, with green woods on either side of the harbour, the city has
a bowl-like shape. Whether you drive in from the North, West,
or South, you get a magnificent view over the city,” Mads Møller
says.
Since he became a partner in the company 45 years ago, Mr.
Mads Møller has been greatly involved in shaping Aarhus as a
modern metropolis. “What makes Aarhus stand out from other
cities is the success with which the city has been able to combine
residential areas, office buildings and a working harbour. The
fact that people can live and work right next to a modern, working
harbour – one of Europe’s largest container harbours – gives
Aarhus a dynamic energy that is probably part of the reason, the
city continues to grow,” explains Møller.
characterized by quality in materials and sustainability, as well as
simplicity in planning, economy and design,” he says.
The company’s success also has a great deal to do with being
able to find great talent in the city – with the School of Architecture
located here and a bustling and young design and architectural
community in the city.
“Aarhus is big enough to attract great talent, and big enough
to surprise you. But it doesn’t overwhelm you. And if you have
a good idea, as architects often do, the city is small enough to
make things happen. That’s quite exciting,” Mads Møller says
and looks out.
The fog and rainy clouds clog his view today. But construction
across the city carries on. And he follows it all from the 13th floor.
Mads Møller,
Partner, Arkitekt MAA
Photo: Jacob Lerche
Architects of the world – Danish style
With 320 employees, 9 partners and an associate partner, C.F.
Møller today in an international firm with offices and design projects
all over the world. Among them the National Diabetes Center
in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a Gastronomic Academy at the San Martino
museum in Naples, Italy, and the Stockholm Globe Arena.
But Aarhus is still the company’s headquarters. As such, the
city offers a great deal of quality and inspiration, according to
Mads Møller. “Our architecture is Danish, or Nordic, in style. It is
A hub for architecture and design
With 330 registered architecture firms and 492 design
companies (such as graphic -, industrial -, product and
communications design) Aarhus has the largest concentration
of architects and designers in the country. Two of Europe’s
largest architectural firms, C. F. Møller and Schmidt Hammer
Lassen, are based in the city, as well as the School of
Architecture and a list of other design studies in and close to
Aarhus.
11

Special Advertising Supplement
Photo: Morten Jac
Aarhus cycles the Earth
21 times a day
3,2 kilometres a day: Every resident
between the age of 10 and 84 bikes
an average of 3,2 kilometres a day, 21
times around the world.
450,021 metres: the length of the total
public cycle lanes in Aarhus
1,512 metres: the length of an average
bike ride in Aarhus
57: the number of city bike parking areas
in Aarhus.
A liveable city
In recent years, the city of Aarhus has carried out an extensive excavation of
the stream running through the city center. The result is an increased ambiance
and activities along the water, where cafées, restaurants and small shops are
attracting locals and visitors alike.
Photo: Ole Hein Pedersen
European Capital of Culture in
2017?
The City of Aarhus is aiming at becoming
European Capital of Culture in 2017.
The campaign to win the nomination
is called “Rethink” – the idea of which
is to rethink the way in which culture,
business and government could work
together to create the attractive city of
the future.
Photo: Malling and Schmidt
Olafur Eliasson’s Your Rainbow Panorama
He has created waterfalls under the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, exhibited at
the Tate Modern and around the world. This year, the Danish-Icelandic artist
Olafur Eliasson’s largest project to date, Your Rainbow Panorama opened atop
ARos Aarhus Museum of Art.
The rainbow panorama is a permanent creation and a new landmark for Aarhus,
consisting of a circle-shaped 150 metre long hallway made of rainbow-colored
class. Resting on top of the museum, visitors can walk through the entire rainbow
and get a coloured view of the city.
“I created a space that removes the lines between inside and outside, you are
unsure of whether you entered a piece of art or a part of the museum. This duality
is important to me, because it encourages people to think and sense their surroundings,
the city, in ways that are unfamiliar to them,” says Olafur Eliasson of
his work.
Your Rainbow Panorama is Eliasson’s most extensive work to date and has
attracted national and international audiences to the museum and the city.
We all scream for ice cream ...
with oak?
The most cutting-edge developments in
ice cream, according to the Wall Street
Journal, comes from Scandinavia. One
Aarhus-based chef, Thorsten Schmidt,
has made a creamy oak ice cream,
made with shavings of the tree, which
he serves at his restaurant Malling and
Schmidt in Aarhus.
Schmidt has won national and
international fame as part of the New
Nordic Food Manifesto – basing his
cooking on ingredients and produce that
thrive in the Nordic climate and using
these products in new ways.
12

AU
AARHUS UNIVERSITY
Aarhus – Special Advertising Supplement
Special Advertising Supplement
in
n0
AARHUS UNIVERSITY
DANISH FOR INNOVATION
The Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Aarhus University provides large
and medium-sized businesses with one simple point of access to knowledge-based
partnerships with leading researchers and specialized research centres.
Want to fast forward your business on the runway to new products, services and
global markets? Contact us today.
www.cei.au.dk/innovation
Danish for progress

Special Advertising Supplement
From India
to Aarhus
Photo: Jacob Lerche
family adjusts to
new ways of life
Moving to Aarhus from Bangalore has been
easy, says Venkat and Bhanu. Danes are a little
reserved, but warm up when served Indian food.
“Daddy, I want to watch Mickey Mouse?”
says 5-year-old Jayanth Chalapati as his
father Venkat tries to woo him away from
the computer to get a family photo taken.
“He is tired today, because he was in
school until 2 PM,” says Jayanth’s mother
Bhanu, who picked him up at the International
School where he started in August.
The family, from Bangalore India, moved to
Denmark a few years ago when Venkat received
a job offer as an enterprise architect,
first with KMD and since October 2010 with
Vestas Wind Systems.
“Moving to Denmark has been a good
experience for us. In India, we worked
long hours, spent many hours a day on
transportation to and from work, and didn’t
get to spend time with Jayanth. The worklife
balance is definitely better here,” says
Bhanu, who worked as an IT specialist in
India and hopes to find work in Denmark.
In Bangalore, the family was able to afford
a driver and a cook. In Aarhus, they use
public transportation and Bhanu cooks.
“She makes me Indian lunch to bring to
work every day. Danes love Indian food, so
we often invite our close Danish friends for
dinner at our home,” says Venkat Chalapati
(38), who enjoys his work and says he has
found several good friends among Danish
colleagues.
“We try to develop good relationships. It
takes a little time with Danes, but we have
several warm friendships already,” says Venkat,
adding that he also likes Danish food.
The family spends their time off travelling
the country. They enjoy Denmark and
believe they found a good place to live in
Aarhus.
“Aarhus is very green and also has enough
opportunities, such as the international
school and International Community. Raising
our kid in an international setting is very
important to us,” says Venkat.
His wife smiles and says that she is thankful
for the newsletters and events offered by
International Community. “I read their newsletter
every week, because they tell me in
English what is going on in the city. They
are very helpful,” Bhanu (37) says.
In addition, she is developing a network
among the parents of children at the International
School, which is right across the
street from the family’s apartment.
“The mothers drop by, we drink Indian chai
tea, and chat. It’s a good life,” she says,
adding that she is applying for jobs. In
Bangalore, she worked for companies such
as Microsoft and Accenture.
Asked to name the worst thing about Denmark,
they laugh and say: “taxes”.
Aarhus is an
international city
Aarhus offer international
schools, day care, and
networking for international
employees and spouses
Aarhus offers international day care and
schooling for children from the age of
3 through 18. The city has an elementary
school, the International School of
Aarhus, and next year, an IB-certified
elementary school opens. Also, Aarhus
offers an international IB secondary
school programme, as well as a long list
of degrees and programmes at the University
and other institutions of higher
education.
Networking for international
employees and their families
International Community (IC) offers
access to a social and professional
network for international employees
and their families in Aarhus. IC helps
expats find their way in terms of housing,
schools, jobs for spouses and more.
The center also has an online networking
community, InterCom, a platform for
connecting with other expats and finding
information about life in Aarhus.
www.isaa.dk
www.internationalcommunity.dk
Colophon
Special advertising supplement from Municipality of Aarhus.
www.aarhus.dk
Lisbeth Katborg Bjerre, Head of Communication, Mayor’s Department,
City of Aarhus, +45 23 32 83 62, lkb@aarhus.dk
Produced by: C media Denmark A/S
Project Manager: Peter Lundegaard, C media Denmark A/S,
+ 45 48 44 49 29, peter@cmedia.as, www.cmedia.as
Editor: Camilla Marcinkowski, Periskop
Design: Hatch & Bloom A/S
12

Special Advertising Supplement
Get help for takeoff
Did you know …
that entrepreneurs and companies
can get a subsidy to realise their
growth ambitions?!
Learn more about your options on www.imidt.dk
Contact the Central Denmark Region’s business service
on phone (+45) 70 15 16 18
Shaping the future
Ramboll is committed to help shaping the future of Aarhus. A goal the knowledge company is
achieving through sizeable projects that build on citizen involvement, structured, innovative
project management and world-class professional competence.
In 2010 Ramboll initiated the cycling team
‘Connecting Aarhus’, an active business
network across the city.
SIGNIFICANT AARHUS
PROJECTS
The New University Hospital and the sheer
size of the project will impact the hospital’s
users and the entire community.
Navitas will become Aarhus’ new centre for
energy, innovation and training at the local
harbour areas in Aarhus.
Urban Mediaspace Aarhus is an open and
accessible learning environment that promotes
democracy and community spirit.
The strategy for growth is clear at Ramboll in
Aarhus. Recent years have seen the company
rebuilt, expanded and merged to become
13,000 square metres of innovative environment,
where many of the international projects
in Ramboll’s global organisation are managed.
“We really believe in the Greater Aarhus model
as a parallel to the Copenhagen region. Through
a ‘one company’ strategy we advantage from
cross-dimensional knowledge sharing. In
Aarhus we have Ramboll Denmark and Ramboll
Management with Attractor under the same roof
which opens for many innovative ideas, says
Ole Bech Jensen, Director and Area Manager for
Ramboll in Aarhus.
SOCIETY’S TEAMMATE
Ramboll is deeply committed to developing
Aarhus in close collaboration with the region’s
key players. As a community consultant Ramboll
develops together with the entire region.
“Our role is to be a community consultant
whereby we contribute to work and dialogues
across Aarhus. We are involved in the large
Eastern Jutlandic projects together with other
key players,” adds Ole Bech Jensen.
Ramboll highlights opportunities and provides
forward-looking ideas.
“The future requires new ways of working together,
and we would like to be an active player
and take a shared responsibility for the future
of Aarhus, with knowledge, people and ideas
that contribute to innovative solutions that get
Aarhus moving.”
Ramboll Danmark is a leading engineering,
design and consultancy company and part
of the Ramboll Group, which employs almost
10,000 experts from more than 200 offices
in 23 countries. www.ramboll.dk

Special Advertising Supplement
With a staggering 25% organic growth in 2011 due to technological
innovation, Aarhus based Kamstrup is the epitome of
Danish for progress.
Managing energy infrastructure
The infrastructure of energy supply becomes
increasingly complex, not least
due to more sustainable but unpredictable
energy sources. Kamstrup develop
and produce the innovative metering
solutions which form the backbone in
modern smart grid management.
TRUE TO
OUR SPIRIT
This is an industry as dynamic and
rapidly developing as we only find it in
advanced electronics.
Kamstrup has own offices in 20 different
countries and export 85% of
its 1150 MDKK turnover in 2011. Still
Kamstrup has decided to develop and
produce all its electronic components
in its own factory in the Aarhus area.
Kamstrup produce electronics in Denmark
and export it to 60 countries all
over the world, even to China.
Per Asmussen explains: “To produce
electronics in a high cost country
requires fully automated production
lines. However, the greatest advantage
of this is not the savings in labor
costs, but the high quality level, which
we could never reach in any manual
production”.
The Aarhus area is an obvious choice
for Kamstrup to develop the future
business. As Per Asmussen expresses:
“Kamstrup is heavily dependant on
continuous development and technological
leadership. 25% of our
colleagues work on technological
development, so for the future growth,
we need the best skilled people in
our team. I can not think of any better
place than the Aarhus area to recruit
them”.
www.kamstrup.com
by NCC ®
Benefit from economies of scale
-
Approved low-energy buildings
-

Special Advertisement Supplement
A new area of town is taking shape by the harbour, while several of the
city’s educational establishments are planning significant expansion
development – all with developers Bascon as their right hand.
Visionary city
and
development triggers
construction boom in Aarhus
Not far from Aarhus’s lively café street, Åboulevarden,
vast construction equipment hammers
away at Aarhus Harbour. The area has in recent
years turned into a veritable growth centre, with
major construction activity happening right from
the inner city and out to the farthest pier in the
old container harbour that borders the scenic
surroundings of Risskov.
The mammoth building project bears the
name of ‘De Bynære Havnearealer’ (The local
harbour area), which will welcome its first
residents in 2012, and which in its completed
state will form a new, attractive and lively
district in Aarhus capable of accommodating
7,000 residents and 12,000 work places.
CLIENT DESIGN ADVISER ADDS VALUE
Behind the visionary plans for the new
district is Aarhus Municipality, which is also
responsible for sales of the plot to private
developers and investors. Equally, it is the
municipality’s job to develop the area’s
infrastructure in terms of roads, canals,
promenades and lighting – complex tasks that
are based in two different administrations.
“Bascon is involved in both the tender
process and the infrastructure. Their strengths
lie in having all the required skills, and
together with our team, we all benefit from
an intense knowledge sharing that makes
the project achievable,” explains Head of
Secretariat Bente Lykke Sørensen from Aarhus
Municipality.
The municipality’s job is not just about selling
a piece of land. It is about developing a new
district and creating the very facilities that will
add value to the whole city.
“It requires a holistic approach. As developers
we are able to create both the strategy for the
optimum tender and create added value by
connecting the strategy to practical planning,”
explains Bascon CEO Lars Svenningsen .
VISION ACHIEVED
THROUGH EXTENSIVE SKILL SET
This holistic approach to the project is
Bascon’s trademark. Based on a unique
composition of architects, town planners,
engineers and client design advisers, Bascon
offers a vast interdisciplinarity and an ability
to put the right skills into play at each stage –
from initial idea to finished building.
“Bascon is very proactive in its approach to
the project and is excellent at identifying any
issues so that they can be solved early on.
This is an incredibly big project, which is why
it is important for us to have an adviser with all
the relevant skills and who can spar with our
own people in the administrations,” underlines
Bente Lykke Sørensen.
“We are proud to be able to contribute to
the achievement of Aarhus Municipality’s
ambitious plans for De Bynære Havnearealer,
and to be an active player in the exciting
development that Aarhus is currently
undergoing,” says Lars Svenningsen.
CONSTRUCTION OF EDUCATIONAL
ESTABLISHMENTS BOOMING
In addition to the development of De Bynære
Havnearealer, Bascon is also the adviser for
the Aarhus School of Architecture, which
needs to gather its 10 departments under one
roof, and Bascon will be involved during the
early phases of Aarhus University’s plans for
a 20 storey new construction with room for
8,000 students and 1,200 employees.
Bascon is a consultancy firm specialising
in client design advice for both the public
and private sector.
Bascon’s head office is based in Aarhus
with a department in Copenhagen.
Bascon employs a total of 120 people.