New and old combined at the farm

Vor Frue church in Aarhus has a Parish Hall situated in one of the historic merchant farms on Vestergade. A few simple steps were all it took to add the required space, and the garden now has a gate that opens onto the street.

A large influx of people into Vor Frue parish meant that it was necessary to organise more space for confirmation lessons. By adding a new wing to Skt. Nikolai Gården, where the parish office is located, there is now space for three halls. In addition to confirmation lessons, the halls are also frequently used for smaller concerts, talks and meetings. Folding doors have been installed between the halls to maximise the use of space. With the addition to Skt. Nikolai Gården, some functions in the buildings have also been moved in order to improve the interiors.

The backyard originally had a gate opening out onto Vestergade to transport goods to and from the merchant farm. This gate has been recreated and the confirmation candidates can now go directly to the new wing via the gate. The fact that the outdoor space is now accessible to curious passers-by or for parish hall events is also a nice added benefit.

Halls with good indoor climate

The new wing features large window muntins opening up to the courtyard, making the space appear very inviting. Conversely, it's nice to be able to see the entire courtyard from the inside or from one of the recessed seats in the hallway. One of the halls is slightly larger than the other two, which are the same size. The large hall has large windows opening out onto Møllestien and a horizontal ceiling, while the other two halls have sloping ceilings with skylights and glass sections opening the space up to the corridor.

To ensure good acoustics for both song and speech, VMB arkitekter, who were responsible for the project, used Troldtekt line for all ceilings along with floor-length curtains to adjust the reverberation time as well as a shield against the sun or for privacy.

The structure of the Troldtekt acoustics panels matches the abundance of materials used, such as the wooden floors, Øland tiles and wooden columns. The lines on the ceiling are a nice nod to the rhythm of the wooden frame.