Danish Railway Rejuvenates Community

Urban rejuvenation can often be a massive factor in people's reasons to live some place, where the better the societal environment, the more aspirational and higher-wellbeing someone can achieve. This recent project by AART in Aarhus (Denmark) is certainly unique where the team have gone about themselves to re-activate an old train line into a hub of activity. A set of train carriages that run along a disused track, it's single-room hotel, public greenhouse and polling booths are some of the more curious functions. As pop-up carriages, the project is aiming to inject life back into the area prior to it's residentialisation next year. Unused for 36 years, the train line's carriages stand tall upon the tracks with a variety of boutiques, public amenities and activities all on offer. Made from pine wood, the community-inspired design opportunity is certainly unique.

"Like any other city, Aarhus is affected by increasing urbanisation..." AART explains, "...the city is growing intensively, which is also giving rise to an increasing transformation of former industrial areas into residential areas. This kind of urban transformation is an integral part of the daily life in the city. However, the timespan between the political decisions and the completed transformations are often long - so, why not use this timespan productively and make the best of the areas while they are being transformed?"

With the designs manufactured by those in the community, the composition of its train carriages will change throughout the year as local events occur and pass-by. Upcoming is a music festival (Northside), and so the carriages will be transformed into bars and a pharmacy. Asked about their novel idea, AART describes that "temporary architecture can provide new perspectives on a community-based and citizen-involving urban development." SATORI & SCOUT fully agrees. Discover more about the architects online at: AART.dk