Vesterbro Square

From Traffic Space to Green Meeting Place

For more than 100 years, Vesterbro Square has primarily served as a traffic area, but it is now being transformed into a peaceful oasis in the busy city. Traffic rerouting in the surrounding streets creates the opportunity to convert the square into a vibrant public space where city life takes precedence. With plantings ranging from perennials to trees and a unified paving, the square becomes a place to relax and enjoy the city's rhythm in calm surroundings.

The public space is designed with various zones that invite different types of engagement. Whether informal meetings, short or long stays, shopping, play, or other activities. With a flexible layout, the new square accommodates a wide range of activities and events throughout the week, month, and year. Movable furniture ensures adaptability, allowing the square to support everything from everyday moments to market days, flea markets, and cultural events. Even when the square is bustling with life during major events, its design offers the possibility of finding a quiet corner under the tree canopy or along the facades to enjoy a peaceful moment.

A Green Urban Space in the Heart of Aarhus

The new trees in the square are carefully selected with biodiversity and seasonal variation in mind. In spring, the trees bloom with white flowers, while autumn brings warm hues of yellow and red. The light, leafy crowns create a green canopy that offers shade in summer while still providing a clear view of the space. Multi-stemmed trees and shrubs divide the square into smaller, intimate zones, ideal for both relaxation and activity.

Additionally, the square features a continuous blue-green element in the form of lush rain gardens winding through the space. The water flows across the square, where it is delayed and filtered, reinforcing the square’s green identity. The rain gardens create green openings in the square’s surface that absorb rainwater and purify the excess that is not absorbed by the plants. They include hardy perennials, shrubs, and trees, ensuring that the vegetation can withstand both periods of drought and heavy rainfall.

Reuse and Recycling

In developing the square, utilizing the site’s existing resources has been a priority, reducing the need for new materials. For instance, concrete from the old parking garage has been crushed and reused as fill material and gravel surfacing for both the temporary and future square. The granite cladding from the garage has been repurposed into new retaining walls and seating edges. All existing curbstones and cobblestones have also been reintegrated into the new square. Even the plants have been preserved, relocated, and replanted. Of the 25 trees on the square, only five are newly planted.

Traffic and Accessibility

The traffic rerouting around Vesterbro Square creates a safer and more accessible space for the city’s residents. The square now prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists, ensuring that people and city life define the space. Car traffic is made secondary and limited to specific routes, while bus traffic on the southern side of the square is maintained, with new stops in both directions.

Cyclists benefit from significantly improved conditions, with bike lanes and more designated parking areas both on the square and along the adjacent facades. Pedestrians and the visually impaired will benefit from new crossing points, making it safe and easy to navigate the square and the surrounding streets. In this way, a harmonious balance is created between public space and traffic, where all users of soft mobility enjoy safe and convenient access.

See the Outline Proposal for Vesterbro Square (in Danish) here.