Sønderborg Havneselskab was founded by Sønderborg Municipality and Bitten & Mads Clausen's Foundation on 10th of November 2006 with a view to achieving a dramatic transformation of Sønderborg’s industrial port.
With a vision of the local port helping to make Sønderborg a vibrant town of high quality and great appeal, the Havneselskab was aiming to create an area that is unique to Denmark; an area that is attractive to local residents, migrants and visitors, and an area people want to visit, simply to experience and visit.
Its ambition was to make the port a landmark in Sønderborg and a meeting point for the municipality’s residents, the business community and tourists. From the hotel to the art centre and commercial buildings, the port was to become a place which people visit to have fun and spend time together.
Dreams to Reality
This ambitious and visionary project is part of a master plan from world-famous architect Frank Gehry. It represents the spirit of Sønderborg: we not only dream big – we realise our dreams.
Frank Gehry’s project ensured that Sønderborg’s former industrial port was characterised by unique architecture of high quality and a wealth of activities. The basic idea of Gehry’s master plan was for all buildings to form integral cogs, meaning that despite their unique architecture the buildings still gave the impression of a unified whole. The focus of the master plan was a central square which, among other roles, should bring together the hotel, a library, the culture and commercial buildings, as well as linking the port to the town.
Sønderborg Havneselskab was closed down in 2020, after having sold the last plots of land to an investor.
