Gigantium Urban Space by JAJA Architects: Aalborg Plaza Design Review

Gigantium Urban Space, designed by JAJA Architects, is a new public plaza outside Gigantium, the large sports and cultural centre in Aalborg, Denmark. The project turned a former loading area into a bright red forecourt covered in playful white graphics, with steps, platforms, rails and fitness bars that invite people to play, train, sit and meet. It also marks a stop on Aalborg’s new bus rapid transit line, linking public transport with urban regeneration. This review explains the design, how its colour and graphics work, and what it offers as a model for plazas around stadiums, sports complexes and transit stations in Pakistan.

The Brief: From Loading Bay to Public Plaza

Gigantium is one of Aalborg’s main venues for sport, concerts and events. Like many large venues, its surroundings were designed mainly for vehicles and service access. The area outside one side of the building was a loading zone with little value for people on foot.

JAJA Architects were asked to turn this space into a lively plaza that would extend the centre’s sports and cultural activities outdoors and connect them with the indoor facilities. The project also had to give Gigantium a clear presence as a stop on the new Plusbus line.

Design Concept: The Red Carpet

The plaza sits next to a popular cycle route and faces an open green field where sheep graze. Against this soft, green landscape, the architects introduced a bold red surface. The red acts like a carpet rolled out from the street to the building, drawing people in and marking the plaza as a special place.

Streaks and zones

Playful red streaks guide visitors from the street into the square. Different red shapes divide the forecourt into separate areas, each suited to different activities. White lines add energy and help define these zones.

Elements to discover

As people follow the lines, they find railings, platforms, steps, graphics and planting. These elements invite them to stop, rest, play games or exercise. Together they create a vibrant entrance that reinforces Gigantium’s role as a hub for sport and entertainment.

Graphics as Function

The graphics, designed by Rama Studio, are central to the project. Drawn in simple white lines, they include circles, stripes, letters and smiley faces.

The graphics extend across paving and facades and then rise into three-dimensional forms: fitness bars, rails and a raised plateau landscape. This continuity makes the plaza feel designed as one piece rather than a collection of separate items.

Linking Transport and Urban Space

Plusbus is Aalborg’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system, a high-quality bus service with dedicated lanes and improved stops. The municipality used the project to connect new transport with urban development, so that BRT stops become attractive public places rather than simple shelters.

At Gigantium, the plaza makes the stop visible and welcoming. Passengers arriving by bus step straight into an active public space, which encourages them to visit the sports centre and to use public transport for events.

Activated Plaza vs Conventional Forecourt

Why the Design Works

• Clear identity. One strong colour and graphic language make the plaza instantly recognisable.
• Use by many groups. Children, athletes, event visitors and commuters all find something to do.
• Low-tech, high impact. Paint, paving and simple steel elements transform a service area without major construction.
• Connected to transport. Linking the plaza with the BRT stop increases footfall and supports sustainable travel.

Points to consider

Painted and coloured surfaces need maintenance as they wear, especially under heavy use. Surfaces must stay slip-resistant when wet. Fitness equipment and rails must be designed for safe public use, with suitable surfacing beneath. Service access to the building still has to work, so loading and emergency routes must be kept clear.

Materials, Construction and Durability

Much of the plaza’s effect comes from relatively simple construction: coloured concrete and paving, painted graphics and a set of steel and concrete elements. This keeps costs and construction time under control, which is important for municipal budgets.

Surfaces

Coloured surfaces can be created with pigmented concrete, coloured asphalt, resin-bound finishes or durable line paints. Each has different costs and lifespans. Pigmented materials hold their colour through the full depth, so they wear more gracefully than surface paint, while paint is cheaper and easier to refresh or change.

Steel elements

Rails, fitness bars and platforms are typically made from galvanised or powder-coated steel. They must be securely anchored, have rounded edges and be finished to resist corrosion, particularly where they are touched constantly and exposed to rain.

Drainage

A large hard surface needs well-planned falls and drains to avoid puddles that make play areas unusable and slippery. Planting beds can help absorb runoff and soften the space.

Designing for Everyone

A successful public plaza works for different ages and abilities. Young children enjoy simple shapes and lines on the ground, teenagers look for places to gather and challenge themselves, adults use fitness equipment or simply sit, and older people need benches with backs and shade. Level routes, ramps instead of steps where possible, and clear, high-contrast markings make the space usable for wheelchair users and people with limited vision. Good lighting extends use into the evening and improves safety, which is especially important for women and families.

Lessons for Pakistan

Pakistan’s cities have built bus rapid transit systems, including the Lahore Metrobus, Peshawar BRT and Karachi’s Green Line, and many have sports complexes, stadiums and expo centres surrounded by car parks and walls. The Gigantium plaza suggests a low-cost way to improve these places.

The World Health Organization recommends regular physical activity for all age groups, and accessible public spaces make it easier for people to stay active. Public projects in Lahore may need coordination with the LDA or other city bodies, and any structures such as canopies and fitness frames should be designed to the Building Code of Pakistan.

Private developers can apply the same ideas to the forecourts of plazas, malls and schools. ACCO’s architectural design services include landscape and forecourt planning, and our page on commercial plaza construction in Gulberg shows how the public edge of a building can add value. Works are priced through an itemised BOQ, as explained in the commercial construction cost guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Gigantium Urban Space shows how a forgotten loading area can become one of a city’s most lively public places. A bold red surface, playful graphics that double as games and training aids, simple steel and concrete elements, and a direct link to bus rapid transit combine to create a plaza that people of all ages use every day. For Pakistan’s stadiums, sports complexes and BRT stations, it offers an affordable model for turning leftover space into active, healthy public life.