Sydhavnen in the middle of raw soul and new visions

A look into a neighborhood in the midst of significant change

If you've been around the South Harbour area recently, you've probably noticed the big change. The new buildings are popping up and you can almost feel that the area is in the middle of two chapters. The old is not completely gone yet, and the new is not quite here.

That was also the thought I had when I recently took part in a tour of Sydhavnen arranged by Erhverv Aarhus. Not so much because the area was new to me. I have been here many times and know the neighborhood quite well. But this time we were allowed to go behind the facades and inside some of the places you normally just pass by.

And that gave a completely different insight.

A neighborhood that many know by name, but few really know

Sydhavnen is one of those places in Aarhus that many people know by name, but few really know. Even though the area is close to the city center, it lives a life of its own, hidden between old industrial buildings, workshops, creative environments and new construction.

Maybe that's exactly what makes Sydhavnen interesting.

Here you will find creative businesses, music communities, entrepreneurs, artists and social initiatives side by side. There is still something raw and unpolished about the neighborhood, but at the same time you can clearly feel that something is moving.

TRAIN and the Sydhavn of the future

We began the tour at the upcoming new TRAIN, which will be a significant part of Sydhavnen's future. Here we stood on stage in the large hall, which will soon accommodate 1.500 spectators, while director Carsten V. Nielsen talked about eight years of visions, meetings and decisions, which are now finally approaching the finish line.

The ceiling isn't quite finished yet, and wires are still visible in several places. But the space is there. 

TRAIN will not only be a new venue. It will also be a symbol of the development that Sydhavnen is currently undergoing.

Behind the facades are hidden small worlds

But some of the most exciting things about the trip were the places that don't necessarily make the headlines.

At Kulbroen, Martin Thim Tømmergaard talked about the journey of bringing the vision of Kulbroen to life. Kulbroen has today become one of Sydhavnen's most striking meeting points and a strong symbol of the change that the area is in the midst of. You can read more about The story behind the coal bridge here.

It was also here that we met Det Kærlige Måltid, a non-profit organization based on the ground floor of the TRÆ building. Volunteers prepare and deliver meals to families affected by life-threatening illnesses, and over 600 families receive meals from them each year.

At Tiny Office we were given both a licorice pipe and the story of how the idea of ​​small mobile offices originated 12 years ago. Today, around 50 Tiny Offices are driving around Denmark and abroad, all built at the workshop here in Aarhus.

It was also here that something that is repeated in many places in Sydhavnen was put into words. The feeling of community. That it is not just about companies that are located next to each other, but about people who actually know each other.

From state-of-the-art settings to musical time travel

One of the places that particularly impressed me was Feedback Recording. The contrast was almost striking.

Earlier in the day, we stood in the state-of-the-art setting of the upcoming new TRAIN and heard about the visions for the future of music life in Sydhavnen. Shortly after, we stood in an old studio with soul, history and a raw authenticity that you can't build from scratch.

Feedback Recording has a very special history. It was originally Gnags' studio, back in the 1970s in Viby, where a large part of Danish music history was recorded throughout the 80s and 90s. Today, the studio is located in the old slaughterhouse buildings in Sydhavnen, with some of the original equipment.

When we visited the studio, the band Martin Zeppelin was in the middle of a recording session. It felt almost poetic that some of the equipment that once recorded Gnags is now recording new musicians from Aarhus.

But the visit also sparked other thoughts.

We were told that several of the creative players in the old slaughterhouse buildings are expected to move out at the end of 2026 because contracts will not be extended. This also means that some of the environments that have helped give Sydhavnen its special creative nerve for years are quietly starting to disappear.

And that left me with a question: How do you develop an area without pushing away some of what made it interesting in the first place?

One of the things I took with me from the day was the contrasts in particular. How quickly you can move between vastly different worlds in Sydhavnen.

In just a few hours, we went from visions of future urban spaces and new cultural powerhouses to honest stories about homelessness, loneliness and social vulnerability. And that gap between different realities feels in many ways like the essence of Sydhavnen. 

I won't forget the story of Johnny anytime soon.

The strongest impression came from the meeting with Rikke and Johnny from Værestedets Venner and Det Rullende Hjerterum.

In the midst of the story of urban development, visions and investments, we were reminded of a completely different reality. A reality that concerns people who live with homelessness, abuse and social vulnerability.

At the Værestedet we met Rikke and Johnny, who is 61 years old and entered the substance abuse environment at the age of 29. He got his first apartment of his own in 2024 after 32 years without a fixed address. When he moved in, his only furniture was his messenger box from his apprenticeship and a refrigerator that Rikke gave him.

Johnny also talked about the role of Sydhavnspedeller, where homeless and socially disadvantaged people help take care of the area, clean up after tradesmen and keep an eye on construction sites. Several companies actively use them, and the effort has helped create a stronger bond between the area's different environments.

It is a story that may challenge some of the prejudices that many still have. Because in the middle of the story of homelessness and social vulnerability lies another story. A story about responsibility, community and contributing to the area of ​​which you are a part.

What will Sydhavnen look like in a year?

The day ended on the 19th floor of the Axon building with a view of the entire Sydhavnen, while future plans for the area were unfolded once again.

I sat with my sandwich and looked out over the neighborhood. At the old buildings and the new construction. And especially at the contrasts.

I am genuinely curious about what Sydhavnen will look like in a year.

How will the area feel when even more buildings are completed? When TRAIN opens its doors? When even more companies and people move in?

And perhaps even more importantly, whether Sydhavnen manages to preserve the raw soul, edge and humanity that already makes the neighborhood something very special today.