‘The Mobility Hub – A Link between Mobility Systems and Urban Spaces’ is a master’s thesis investigating the development of the liveable city through the interdisciplinary approach of ‘mobilities design’. A mobility hub is a development tool that can be used to redesign ‘unheeded mobility spaces’ where the efficient traffic machine gets linked with the spatial urban qualities. This thesis defines the mobility hub as a spatial link between the mobility systems and the urban spaces. In order to design a mobility hub with this definition, a theoretical framework has been conducted. It combines the definition of ‘place’ by Agnew, ‘legibility’ by Lynch, ‘global sense of place’ by Massey, and the mobility concepts: ‘sociofugal and -petal spaces’ by Osmond, ‘critical points of contacts’ by Jensen and Morelli. The framework has made it possible to investigate the duality between movement and material setting and the synergy between them to design a mobility hub with a link between mobility systems and urban spaces.

The chosen site, Viby Torv, has been analysed and mapped through several methodological approaches such as qualitative interviews, literature review, and a site visit which has provided an understanding of the context of Viby Torv. The output of the analysis summarises a series of potentials of how to design a mobility hub within Viby Torv. Viby Torv consists of diverse material settings and built environment, dividing the area into two identities: the ‘city’ and the ‘village’. Additionally, the area is dominated by car traffic and public transport, and thus the pedestrian and shifting passengers are low prioritised within the area. The surrounding functions attract different user groups, but the area of Viby Torv functions as a parking lot and transit point divided by three roads. The analysis shows that Viby Torv needs a balanced link between the mobility systems and the urban spaces.

Viby Centrum is a design proposal that accommodates the many potentials. With the development tool of a mobility hub, Viby Centrum creates a recognisable and uniform link between the mobility systems and urban spaces. The masterplan outlines different urban elements that create coherency between the functions, mobility opportunities, and user groups. Thus, the design of the mobility hub prioritises soft mobility and visualises the urban attractions and activities, creating an interdisciplinary design of Viby Centrum.

As an outcome of this thesis, the design proposal has been reflected upon by discussing the mobility hubs’ interconnection within a network. Viby Centrum is designed through site-specific elements to generate an attractive urban space that supports the existing potential of the material settings that makes Viby Centrum a ‘place’. However, Viby Centrum is also designed through recognisable elements where the individual citizens can connect the specific mobility hub to the collected mobility systems (and a potential mobility hub network) that interconnect the many functions and areas within Aarhus Municipality.

Viby Centrum is, therefore, a combination of the recognisable mobility hub network and the unique place in Aarhus Municipality. As a mobility hub designed through the interdisciplinary approach of ‘mobilities design’, Viby Centrum creates the linkage between the efficient traffic machine and the attractive urban space.