Aarhus Municipality selects Ramboll for new development project

Water is a scarce resource across the globe, which demands constant development of new knowledge and technologies. Even though Denmark is well ahead in water technologies, Aarhus Municipality wish to create a new source of innovation called ‘The Spring’.

Ramboll and Henning Larsen, both part of the Ramboll Group, have won a tender for consultancy and project management in the conceptualisation of new, physical test facilities for water technology. With high export ambitions, The Spring is aiming to be a strong growth driver for innovation in the entire Danish water sector.

‘We are very happy to be partners on The Spring. We have established a strong, interdisciplinary team in the Ramboll Group, and together with Aarhus Municipality we will create a visionary conceptualization of the project. With our own expertise and the participatory processes within the project, we hope to give a qualified input on how Aarhus and the Water Sector can raise themselves to a whole new level in the coming years, says Dorte Pinholt,’ Senior Market Manager in Ramboll Water.

One of the goals in the project is to be the home of 100 companies and knowledge institutions, housing more than 3000 workplaces and doubling the export of Danish know-how and solutions.

‘In Aarhus Municipality, we are looking forward to the collaboration and we are really pleased with the strong team. With the winning offer, Ramboll and Henning Larsen have shown great comprehension of the development project that we, in close collaboration with actors from the water sector, will be rolling out now’ says Peter Dalby Rasmussen, Specialist Consultant in Aarhus Municipality.

Water technology is an important building block in the ambitions to strengthen the Danish position in innovative water solutions, increased export, and job creation. The test- and demonstration facilities are central elements to reach the goal within 10 to 15 years and to create the best framework for global companies, water companies, scientists, and students. Ramboll will help develop a concept to make that happen. In more than 20 years, Morten Bøgebjerg from Ramboll Management Consulting has been working with strategy, conceptualisation, and participatory processes. He says:

‘We want to create a magnet to attract the best companies and professionals to Aarhus. We will do so with workshops and development processes involving external companies and universities. We will also complete an opportunity analysis to provide an overview of existing technologies in the market and which technologies are needed and missing.’

A physical innovation centre will be the focal point for The Spring and will take up 80.000 kvm2 in the Southern part of Aarhus.

‘In order to create a sustainable innovation district for world-class water technology in Aarhus that will attract the best companies, it is essential that the focus of the city- and landscape development in The Spring is to create an architectonic and significantly technological, inspiring working- and innovation environment, in which highly ambitious water innovation, digitalization, and existing wet area landscapes are governing design parameters in the project,’ says Helene Bekker, Head of Department, Landscape & Urbanism in Henning Larsen, who are also involved in the wastewater project Aarhus Rewater.

The Spring is carried out in the hope that it can help reach the Water Sector’s goal to double Danish export from 20 to 40 billion DKK