Sustainable cultural centre

Skanderborg Fælled is a modern take on the traditional town hall. A public complex housing a range of citizens’ services as well as facilities for concerts and handball matches. Creating a new public facility is very much about synergies and sustainability.

Troldtekt, Skanderborg Fælled
Photo: Helene Høyer Mikkelsen, architect

The successful architectural interplay between the buildings that make up Skanderborg Fælled has created a unique complex where the police, citizens’ services and a handball hall can all be found under the same roof. The municipal offices are certified platinum according to the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) certification system, which is reflected in the many specific solutions and the choice of materials, but also to a large extent in the building’s multifunctional and user-friendly facilities.

The citizens’ services area and the handball hall are separated by a glass wall decorated by the artist Vibeke Tøjner. It is an elegant way of opening up and adding decorative elements to several rooms at once. The double-size sports hall can be partitioned in two, and used for various types of events. There is seating for almost 1,600 people for handball matches, and space for more than 4,000 concert-goers.

Good acoustics for music  

The multi-purpose hall in Skanderborg is the first of its kind – a sports hall which is also designed for music events – boasting outstanding acoustics for concerts.  Schmidt, Hammer & Lassen Architects devoted considerable effort to developing superior acoustics through working with the surfaces, while at the same time creating a beautiful space with lots of natural light, which distinguishes it from similar facilities.

Troldtekt acoustic panels are used on the large wall surfaces, where they regulate the reverberation time. The panels are installed in a broken bond pattern to create a calm and discreet background. Black curtains make it possible to black out the entire room. There are doors leading directly outside, which means that the hall is suitable for events with both indoor and outdoor activities.