AGF’s new beachfront residence will cost £114 million (DKK1 billion), and the practise was one of six teams shortlisted in January for the project. The municipality of Aarhus narrowed the field of competitors after holding an anonymous concept design competition to ZHA, AFL with Copenhagen’s Cobe, and the Danish company Dorte Mandrup. The proposal from ZHA, titled “The arena of the Forest,” was selected as the overall winner earlier today (December 14). In response to the “ancient tree trunks in the woodlands” surrounding the Kongelunden stadiu, the judges commended the “striking columns” and suggested using wood in its construction.
The proposal had “recognised and interpreted the very special position in the old woodlands of Marselisborg and next to the iconic and historic building Stadionhallerne,” according to the supporters, which included the project’s two main sponsors, Lind Invest and Salling Fondene. The project proposal asked for the construction of a “beautiful and ground breaking” arena on a prominent site in the Aarhus Sports Park, adjacent to Aarhus Bay and the Marselisborg Woods, which is now home to the city’s existing sports stadium. The city’s Vision Kongelunden revitalization programme is funding the construction of the “one tier bowl” stadium. The new Eco Park Stadium for Forest Green Rovers in Gloucestershire is another timber football stadium that ZHA is currently building.