SOSU VUC Aalborg

Aalborg is investing massively in education, and now the college and adult education centre VUC&HF Nordjylland and the basic health care college SOSU Nord are both moving in to shared and eye-catching new premises - Campus På Sporet (Campus on Track).

Here, it is rather impressive to see how the former railway goods terminal has been transformed into what is now the backbone of a modern campus building. The two long arched halls from 1959 have become a dynamic meeting place and communal area for 2,200 students and 350 staff. The halls are flanked by two atrium buildings that house teaching facilities, administration and numerous other functions.

New and old have been beautifully integrated. Outside, all the exteriors are primarily white, so that the entire complex has the appearance of a homogeneous sculpture in the cityscape. Indoors, the supporting structure is completely exposed in the goods terminal, and it lends an air of authenticity that the past has not been concealed beneath plaster.

Thomas Brøndum Ushus, project architect at Friis & Moltke, says: “We have chosen cement-bonded wood wool panels from Troldtekt as the product goes well with the raw look that we wanted in the halls. At the same time, there were wood wool panels in the old ceiling in the arched halls, which you can still see on the ceiling in the first two sections. Here, the original ceiling has been preserved to show the traces back in time, which was one of the local authority’s requirements.”

“There is a large open space which serves many functions and which is used by a lot of people. The challenge was to integrate the required acoustic regulation in an aesthetic way – it couldn’t look as though the acoustic regulation and its placement had not been carefully considered from the outset.”

“We are very happy with the result. Form and function complement each other beautifully, and the large arched halls retain their raw industrial look while ensuring good acoustics.”