Tulipgrunden

From industry to residential area

On Tulipgrunden in Brabrand, which previously housed the JAKA slaughterhouses, a total of 300 homes with different characteristics have been built – multi-storey buildings, townhouses, semi-detached houses as well as public family and youth housing. By actively working with different types of housing, we have ensured a diverse residential composition.

”The main idea is based on dividing the area into different sections with varying characteristics and types of housing, which ensures a diverse residential composition and adapts to the Tulip area’s varying terrain while utilizing the area’s significant landscape values.” Anders Lyhne, Creative Manager and Architect

Planted and recreational areas have been established between the houses, and the old main building of the factory is centrally located on the site, preserved to incorporate and continue the area’s industrial cultural history. The old main building has been converted into a community center, and functions related to children, youth, education, nutrition, and health have been incorporated.

The process of conceptualizing the building’s functions has seen consistent involvement from users.

Nature-integrated housing

Situated on the fringes of a preserved natural region, Tulipgrunden extends across a distinct and notable incline. The terrain is marked by a jagged glacial topography, which has played a role in shaping the Aarhus Ådal. Within the constructed zone, the land slopes downward by roughly 20 meters, revealing a historically significant terrain that boasts a breathtaking view of Aarhus Ådal and the Brabrand Lakes. These features have been incorporated into the architecture of the different structures on the site.

In the first phase of the project, semi-detached houses were built in staggered planes, visually blending into the slope and emphasizing it as a characteristic landscape element in the area. The semi-detached houses are located with a minimum distance of five meters, allowing the surrounding nature and forest to grow naturally between the houses and create a self-growing and harmonious relationship between nature and buildings. The semi-detached houses are constructed in light, reddish-brown bricks, which blend nicely with the surrounding landscape.

Nature as a neighbor

At Tulipgrunden, you have the opportunity to live close to nature. When the terraces of the houses end, the meadow grasses take over, and the wild vegetation spreads like a green carpet around and between the houses. The site contains solutions that are characteristic of both the buildings and the surrounding landscape. For example, all rainwater is handled locally by establishing channels and ditches between the houses. The water’s paths thus become visible in nature and, with gentle terrain manipulation, become part of the surrounding landscape.

An eco-friendly neighborhood with a distinct character

To preserve the area’s distinctive character and values, it is the vision that the residents of Tulip Houses should contribute to protecting the environment by participating in the maintenance of the area and respecting the common framework that enriches the development. The drainage of rainwater requires a minimum of maintenance to function optimally, ensuring that recreation and outdoor activities are some of the area’s trademarks.