Tirpitz — the "hidden museum" on the western coast of Denmark

Tirpitz — the "hidden museum" on the western coast of Denmark

Tirpitzvej 1, 6857 Blavand, Denmark http://vardemuseerne.dk/museum/tirpitz/

In the well-known coastal town of Blavand, located on the western coast of Denmark and famous for its excellent beaches, a unique museum named Tirpitz has opened. The complex is hidden among dunes and reflects the region's complex cultural and military history. The project was developed by a collaboration of architects from two firms — the international firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) and the Dutch agency Tinker Imagineers.

As an antithesis to the brutal volume of the bunker, the new building gently emerges into view at the intersection of four passages embedded into the landscape. The heavy hermetic nature of the old military structure contrasts with the appealing lightness and openness of the new museum. The galleries of the complex are integrated into the dunes like an open oasis in the sand — a sharp contrast to the concrete monolith of the Nazi fortress.

Access to four underground galleries is provided from the central inner courtyard, which offers an abundance of daylight even though they are literally embedded in the sand.