Herning +

Herning+ is a repurposing transformative strategy and masterplan for a former hospital area in the centre of Herning, Denmark.

Located in the heart of the city, with a unique cultural history and some of the city’s most characteristic and historical buildings, the strategy suggests to preserve the most important buildings – new and old – and highlight these to give the new Herning+ a unique identity as a new residential neighbourhood with a long important history.

The name, Herning+, reflects one of the central elements of the plan; a new social infrastructure created by two new road connections through the area, almost forming a perfect plus. The 'plus' will be the new central urban space that connects the new neighourhood with the surrounding city and creates a new scene for everyday life, culture and city life to unfold. The ‘plus’ also sections the area into four smaller areas with individual identities, functions and typologies, creating a diverse and vibrant city.

The name also refers to the added value Herning+ will give to the greater city of Herning, and alludes the former function, by using the international symbol for hospitals, ‘+’.

The vision for the design has been to create a flexible, adjustable and realistic plan for the development of the city, as well as the best possible conditions for city life, social interaction and community. A place that connects the city, the existing residents and the new inhabitants.