LIGHTHOUSE

When mooring at the waterfront in Aarhus, one of the first buildings you see is Lighthouse. Located between the city and the sea, Lighthouse stands as an iconic building at the tip of Aarhus Docklands. At 142 metres high, it is Denmark’s tallest residential building with approx. 400 owner-occupied apartments fitted with prefabricated bathrooms from Green Box.

Inspired by water and waves

3XN Architects designed Lighthouse, and had a clear vision for the building right from the outset – to create a beacon for the whole of Aarhus, welcoming everybody – whether arriving by land, sea or air.

The water, the waves, the natural environment and the views of the bay all inspired the Lighthouse project. The gently rounded, soft lines that characterise the building are evocative of the surrounding water and the constant movement of the waves.

However, it is not only the water and nearby nature that have contributed to the Lighthouse narrative. The heterogeneity of the residents of Aarhus and the diverseness of people in general also inspired the building, which is distinguished by its diversity.

Lighthouse offers apartments of all sizes, and views of both the water and the city. The atmosphere is intimate and private, but also open and communal – not least because of the nature, the water and the busy city life that unfolds right outside the door. Using these elements, 3XN created a narrative that embraces the differences and contrasts between people and nature, tranquility and the pulse of the city.

Bathrooms produced in parallel with the construction

The construction of Lighthouse took place in three stages. In connection with stages 1 and 2, a number of residential complexes were built which were completed in 2012 and 2014, respectively. With the final stage, the actual tower, the construction was finally completed in 2022.

The prefabricated bathrooms from Green Box were produced in parallel with the construction work, and were delivered as it progressed. This is an efficient solution, as delivery and installation follow the construction and take place according to a fixed schedule.

Traditionally, wet rooms are among the most complex in a construction project, as they involve many different groups of tradesmen. However, installing prefabricated bathrooms produced indoors under controlled conditions reduces the number of workers needed at the construction site. This keeps coordination challenges to a minimum while ensuring a more streamlined and efficient construction process.