Alex Poulsen Architects Receive Honourable Mention and Win People's Choice Award in the OUH Transformation Ideas Competition
22.06.2026
Foto: Claus Sall
We are proud to share that our proposal, “We do not rethink OUH. We reuse It.”, received an Honourable Mention in the Ideas Competition for the Transformation of the Existing Odense University Hospital (OUH)- From hospital to an attractive city district. In addition, our proposal was awarded the People's Choice Award, making this recognition especially meaningful to us. Both the jury and the public saw the potential in an approach that builds upon what already exists rather than starting from scratch.
We do not rethink OUH. We reuse It.
Why wait 15–20 years for a new district to be completed when 200,000 square metres of buildings are already standing and ready to be used?
Our answer became a proposal in which transformation is understood not as demolition and new construction to start with, but as activation, reuse, and gradual development. We see the existing OUH as a valuable resource—a place with architectural qualities, history, and enormous potential to generate urban life from day one.
A living neighbourhood starts here and now
The proposal is driven by a simple ambition: the new district should not open at some fixed point in the future. It should begin immediately.
We imagine craftspeople working behind transparent façades, producers selling directly from their workshops, startups sharing facilities with neighbours, and cultural initiatives occupying existing buildings while the transformation unfolds. The ground floor becomes the district’s most important urban space—a place where production, commerce, community, and everyday life meet.
The neighbourhood develops in stages. First through the activation of existing buildings, later through permanent housing, workplaces, and shared amenities. The goal is a district that grows organically through people and activities rather than through a fully predetermined masterplan.
A district built on relationships
A central theme of the proposal is the relationship between people.
We envision a neighbourhood where businesses contribute to the local community, where associations can use corporate facilities, where young entrepreneurs gain access to affordable spaces and networks, and where residents actively participate in shaping the district through ongoing engagement.
The ambition is to create a diverse and resilient urban environment in which social, economic, and environmental values reinforce one another. A place where affordable rents, adaptive reuse, and early activation generate long-term value for both residents and businesses.
Our proposal was awarded both an Honourable Mention and the People's Choice Award in the Ideas Competition for the Transformation of OUH.
Recognition of a different approach to urban development
In its evaluation, the jury highlighted the proposal’s clear strategy for gradual development, its focus on early occupation, and its ability to connect social, environmental, and economic considerations. The proposal was recognised as a simple, generous, and practical vision for how the existing OUH can evolve through reuse, activity, and urban life from day one.
For us, this recognition confirms that transformation can be more than architecture. It can be a method for creating cities that grow from the ground up—with people, production, community, and existing resources as their foundation.
We would like to thank the organisers - Freja Ejendomme, Realdania By & Byg og Odense Kommune -, the jury, and the many citizens who voted for our proposal. We look forward to following the future development of the new district and to continuing the conversation about how adaptive reuse can create more sustainable, vibrant, and inclusive urban environments.
Click here for a link to all the award-winning entries and the judges’ report.
