Abstract: In Danish market town Aabenraa, ADEPT and Topotek1 have recently completed a transformation of the historic city that creates strong links between the visionary urban master plan, and redesigned public space formed by local conditions. With a playful design approach and a new take on traditional materials, the historic center is ready for renewed public life. The transformation builds on the character, scale and experience in the historic center, but add new layers of modern identity to streets and squares. The new identity is highlighted through paving patterns and urban furniture that were designed to support various forms of public life in the city. In the process of creating obvious links from the grand perspectives to the smallest detail, the aim has been to establish a strong identity for the historic city center as a whole, but at the same time to allow the micro-local conditions to affect the character of the individual public space.