[ schmidt hammer lassen ] Holbæk Harbour

schmidt hammer lassen architects win sports and leisure complex and overall plan

The winning proposal includes a lyrical, contemporary interpretation of a more locally anchored, traditional building culture. It is inspired by the vision of an area where new and old merge to create a spatial interplay between the new townscape and the DGI complex.

The proposal’s strikingly sculptural roof profile intentionally refers to the heritage and the scale of Holbæk’s old harbour – the site of the shipyard, fishing boats and the scent of wood chips, tar and seaweed.

The overall master plan and the DGI complex are part of the transformation of the town’s old commercial and transportation port into attractive urban areas close to the inlet, ensuring better integration with the water and making the harbour accessible to all.

"With our proposal, we wanted to create a concentrated urban atmosphere. The buildings are tightly arranged in blocks with narrow alleyways between them. The blocks are clustered around the harbour square – a shared civic space with small shops and offices, cafés and restaurants located around the old shipyard. This is a reinterpretation of an old town with narrow alleyways, which opens up to create a meeting point – a place for passing time," according to Kasper Frandsen, associate partner of schmidt hammer lassen architects

The DGI complex functions in the same spirit, with an inner quadrangle resembling one of these "town squares", with the building’s varied functions arranged around it. The DGI scheme is designed to be open and accessible to all, and it offers very flexible, multi-functional settings that match the multifaceted patterns of life and sporting images of our time.

Thus, the DGI project includes a water culture centre, a flexible multi-purpose hall and smaller activity rooms, a health centre, fitness centre, hotel, café and restaurant as well as a four-screen cinema and sports kindergarten.

In addition to proximity to the inlet and the harbour basins, two new channels will also be added to the area. The result will be an attractive maritime townscape in touch with the surrounding water on all sides.