Odense University Hospital, Denmark

The competition seeks proposals to transform the 274,000m² inner-city former hospital site into a new ‘green, sensory and dynamic’ mixed-use neighbourhood featuring housing, workspace, cultural facilities and public realm.

The project – backed by the developers Freja Ejendomme and Realdania By & Byg – follows the relocation of OUH to new premises next to the University of Southern Denmark and the purchasing of the old site by the local municipality last year.

According to the brief: ‘Odense’s current hospital area is facing a historic transformation where the welfare and knowledge of the past meet the life, communities and regenerative approach to urban development of the future.

‘Through the ideas competition, we open the door to bold visions for the site and to new directions in urban development in general.

‘We are looking for ideas that illustrate how 274,000m² in the heart of Odense may become a green, sensory and dynamic urban area combining housing, businesses, culture, and urban nature – a place buzzing with life and activity from day one.’

Odense is the third largest city in Denmark and the largest settlement on the island of Funen. The latest competition comes three years after the Port of Odense announced an international masterplanning competition for a new logistics hub.

Founded in 1912 as a major regional hospital complex, OUH is a major hospital located close to the historic centre Odense – employing more than 11,000 people and treating more than 400,000 patients every year. From 2027-to-2029, the hospital will relocate to a new build campus by KHR Architecture on the southern fringes of the city.

The competition focuses on upgrading and reimagining the former hospital’s existing buildings and open spaces to create a new coherent city quarter with strong connections to surrounding neighbourhoods and the historic centre.

The project will provide a potential model for future urban development across Denmark – demonstrating how large former institutional sites can be transformed with benefits for both society and the environment.

Originally founded as a major regional hospital complex, the OUH site sits within walking distance of Odense’s historic centre and emerging urban districts. The latest competition focuses on reimagining the existing buildings and open spaces as a coherent city quarter with strong connections to surrounding neighbourhoods.​

Participating teams must propose strategies for converting the 274,000m² site into a ‘green, sensory and dynamic’ neighbourhood. Proposals are expected to address landscape, public realm, built form and phasing while ensuring the area is animated from day one.​

The contest is open to teams of professionals, creatives, cultural actors, businesses and citizens. The competition languages are English and Danish. Judges will include Pil Høyer Thielst, partner at Lundgaard & Tranberg, and Peter Rahbæk Juel, mayor of the City of Odense.

Submissions will inform a subsequent planning and development process and a following competition led by the project partners.​ An estimated £52,700 (DKK 450,000) prize fund will be shared between winners of the ideas contest which are due to be announced in mid-June.