The original building, once home to the Aarhus Stiftstidende newspaper, was built in 1877. It has been reconstructed so much that nothing of the original house and design remains, and this was therefore a golden opportunity to tear it down and start from scratch - notwithstanding an address at the epicentre of historical Aarhus.

Bearing in mind the historical milieu, the design retains the original proportions of the building, including the recessed façade line and existing external dimensions.

The new building will have a prominent glass foyer, creating a new and open ground floor inspired by neighbouring properties.

The glass foyer provides a view of the inside of the building and access to inner courtyard spaces - green oases for the benefit of hotel guests. In conjunction with the foyer, there will be a new passage through the building. This passage will connect the busy shopping plazas on one side of the building with a string of cafés along Aarhus River on the other. The idea is simply to create a more vibrant city life.

At the time of the Vikings, the plot formed part of the city's ramparts. The public passage through the hotel will exhibit Viking history by means of posters and showcases.

Where materials are concerned, the design links the building's heritage and emphasises its associations with neighbouring properties: Like its predecessor, the new hotel will be clad in light-coloured render. Some areas of the façade will be clad in sandstone and the new building will have a slate roof. These features are clear references to Aarhus Theatre.

The original hotel had 192 rooms. The new hotel will have about 400. This has been achieved by inserting an additional floor into the new building.