Kompasset

Kompasset, the first sheltered institution for young people in Northern Jutland, is situated just north of Brønderslev. This is a place for young, maladjusted people between the ages of 14 and 18 who need to be placed in care, so they are no longer a danger to anyone.

Troldtekt, Kompasset
Photo: Thomas Mølvig, architect MAA

The Superintendant Tina Maria Larsen says:

“There are eight sheltered institutions for young people in Denmark and Kompasset is the latest and first in Northern Jutland. It is also the first that has been purpose built so it is very different from the others. The architects were given the chance to design the project from scratch so the result is a well thought out building in which architecture, teaching and safety interact perfectly with each other.”

Architect Mads Østergaard from Østergaard Arkitekter ApS in Aalborg designed Kompasset with a view to creating a Nordic atmosphere and a focus on the well-being of the residents and staff.

Between the main building and the residential area, there is a six metre high steel fence which is impossible to climb. To enter, you have to pass an outdoor lock with a time delay that closes one gate before the other opens.

Inside, six separate buildings are connected by pathways. There are two identical residential units been built around a central atrium garden which include a common room, TV-room and a kitchen. The en-suite bedrooms have been placed to provide a view of the forest.

The tallest building is for sport and houses a fitness room and a sports hall with locker rooms.  Here, Troldtekt has been installed on the ceilings and walls to create a very pleasant sound environment.  In fact, Troldtekt has been installed on the ceilings in most of the institution’s many rooms, while, in several places, it continues outside on the roofed outdoor areas.