City’s ambitions
Due to a significant growth of the population, the municipality of Horsens set as main goal the transformation of the city into an inclusive and livable city, starting from the renovation of the historical center. In 2016, a competition was launched, to re-define one of the main arteries of Horsens, core of the historical center. The winning design proposal, develpoed by Okra, together with Schul Landskabsarkitekter and arki_lab, focusses on 3 main objectives: livability, connectivity and identity. These values are spatially reflected into the organization of the street in 3 main areas: the welcoming entrance, functioning as smooth transition from the station to the vibrant core of the city, the active and dynamic central area, populated with activities and gathering spaces, and the church square, symbolizing the historical identity of the city and designated as final destination.
New dynamic identity
The project area, usually working as functional transit space, is turned into a destination itself, provided with zones for leisure, play and meeting. Thanks to a flexible spatial organization, the new street is envisioned as a space that changes during the day and throughout the year, providing possibilities for different uses and for all kind of citizens, from children to elderly people.
Green structure
The predominance of hardscape is balanced through the proposal of a strong green structure, which has the ambition to link to a wider, city-scale framework. Microclimate and biodiversity will be substantially improved thanks to the introduction of reach green islands, along the project area, which contribute to the guide different movements, while framing zones for gathering and resting. The selection of planting aims to provide a diversified experience to the visitors, highlighting the seasonal variations and providing comfortable green rooms, in combination with flexible water features.