c.f. moller: aarhus gymnastics and motor skills hall

åarhus gymnastics and motor skills hall in denmark by c.f. møller architects
image courtesy of julian weyer


scandinavian firm c.f. møller architects has completed a new addition to the åarhus gymnastics
and trampoline hall in åarhus, denmark. the objective of the gymnastics and motor skills hall
is to encourage children between the ages of 3 and 10 to develop all facets of their motor skills
by creating a space that encourages exploration and exercise. different from most traditional gyms,
the architects did not have to design around set parameters of court sizes and programs, but instead
created a new type of gym that was open and engaging.

the most prominent feature of the gym hall is a sculptural climbing terrain called 'the seashell'
that spans up the three-storey space, creating both spaces of activity above and beneath it.
a lookout-tower made out of glass sits at the ceiling, providing a view of åarhus bay and
the mols hills for those who are daring enough to climb up. no surface is off limits: the sloping roof
of the existing building has been utilized as an indoor climbing wall. pegs, ladders, and enclosed steps
scale up the walls, offering curious users different ways of moving around the space.



'the shell'
image courtesy of poul nyholm



image courtesy of poul nyholm



image courtesy of poul nyholm



image courtesy of julian weyer



climbing stairs
image courtesy of julian weyer



image courtesy of julian weyer



image courtesy of julian weyer



image courtesy of julian weyer



'kangaroo land'
image courtesy of julian weyer



image courtesy of julian weyer


from the outside, the addition looks like a concrete shell punctured with colour-blocked,
irregular windows.



south elevation
image courtesy of poul nyholm



north elevation
image courtesy of poul nyholm



window detail
image courtesy of poul nyholm



sketches






site plan



floor plan



section A-A



section B-B



north elevation



south elevation



east elevation


project info:
client: VIK gymnastik
engineering: moe & brødsgaard a/s
size: 1600 m2
location: hvidkildevej, åarhus, denmark
year: 2009-2010