Now's the time!

The countdown to the extensive transformation of Design School Kolding has now entered its final phase. Movers are busy moving offices, workshops, classrooms and other facilities for rehousing at Dyrehavevej 116 in Kolding, which previously formed the framework for the current University College Syd. This is where the school's employees and students will have their everyday life until the new school at Aagade 10 is ready - according to plan in the summer of 2024.

The transformation of Design School Kolding has been years in the making, and Lene Tanggaard, Rector at Design School Kolding, is pleased that the renovation is now finally underway:

- We are very much looking forward to getting started with the transformation of Design School Kolding. We have an ambition to be Denmark's and one of Europe's leading design universities, and this requires us to be able to offer new and updated architectural frameworks.

S for sustainability
CUBO Architects from Aarhus will be responsible for the transformation of the school. It was their proposal – specifically with a focus on recycling materials – that was decisive in the choice of architectural firm. Lene Tanggaard, who also has a seat on the transformation's judging committee, says:

– The transformation of Design School Kolding must be sustainable on several levels. We want to minimize the impact on the climate, and we dream of creating the best possible framework for social sustainability. The Design School wants to be a place where people thrive, a transformed, flexible building that is inviting to the outside world and at the same time creates the very best conditions for creative expression. CUBO Architects has managed to solve that ambition with their winning proposal.

In their proposal, CUBO Architects recommends that existing materials be screened for possible reuse for other functions in the building, e.g., the school's southern window façade, which is used as transparent interior walls with sound-proofing properties. Nothing useable should be discarded, it should be re-enchanted, that is the fundamental concept of CUBO's winning proposal. 

The transformation will be financed with funds totalling DKK 37.5 million from the A.P. Moller Support Foundation the Louis-Hansen Foundation and the Augustinus Foundation. When adding Design School Kolding's own funds, a total of DKK 51.5 million has been raised for the renovation, which is scheduled to start at the end of 2022 and last for one year. Besides the winner, CUBO Architects, a total of five design studios were shortlisted for the architectural competition, i.e., ADEPT, CEBRA, Mikkelsen Architects and Rørbæk & Møller Architects. Tegnestuen Mejeriet is the consulting engineer.