Design a visitor center that mimics the landscape of Denmark,
Danish architecture firm CEBRA has designed a visitor center, simulating undulating landscapes,
hollows and hills, in Skamlingsbanken, Denmark.
The Design Of Skamlingsbanken
Dubbed the Skamlingsbanken Visitor Centre, the project has a surface area of 500 square metres,
and is integral to the landscape, serving as an entrance to the important history and local nature of the site.
CEBRA has designed the center to be part of an undulating landscape,
and the design is aesthetically pleasing to the natural terrain.
Starting from the general design to the small details,
it houses spaces for different types of events and provides space for an exhibition about the history of Skamlingsbanken.
Centered around nature, democracy and the power of speech,
visitors experience architecture that finds its origin in the unique nature and history of Skamlingsbanken.”
The presence of the structure under the landscape cannot be understood from afar,
the small facades formed by the landscape look like a living creature immersed in nature,
and visitors can easily climb over the landscape.
Skamlingsbanken occupies a central place in Danish history,
and over time has become a venue for debates about democracy, the border state and women’s suffrage.
Design goals
Skamlingsbanken was a natural wind-sheltered gathering point in the past,
due to its undulating landscape with hollows and hills, and thus many civic gatherings and festivals were organized there.
Skamlingsbanken links the past with the present and the future,
and one of the main ambitions of the project was to bring the history and fascinating nature of the place into a contemporary context.
The new visitor center is also a modern arena for democratic culture,
recreating Skamlingsbanken as a framework for important discussions and education about matters of human concern, such as climate change.
Design a visitor center that mimics the landscape of Denmark
Today, the nature and ecosystems of our planet are challenged as a result of human activities,
and it is a shared democratic mission to protect and preserve the planet as a safe home for nature,
animals and humans.
Whereas Skamlingsbanken has created a place where visitors gain knowledge about democracy and nature through a variety of experiences.
The landscape of Skamlingsbanken, during the last Ice Age,
was created offering a rich and diverse nature characterized by undulating hills and large meadows.
The picturesque context was the main inspiration for the design of the visitor center.
Design Features
CEBRA has elevated the landscape along two circular plots, respecting the nature of the terrain,
while the exhibition space has become a subtle entry into the landscape in the form of a softly curved hill.
The visitor center is an architectural interpretation of an icy landscape, not a destination in itself,
but part of an overall narrative.
The building contains a gateway to important history and local nature and forms a natural starting point for hiking in the area,
as a network of paths flow through the buildings and landscapes.
Skamlingsbanken’s main attraction is its natural terrain, when visitors enter the exhibition space,
they will experience navigating the hill and its many hidden stories.
The corrugated back wall was plastered by architects, and the interiors feature local materials such as wood,
terrazzo with field stone, and calm, earthy tones.
The introverted and subdued exhibition space is crowned with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Little Belt Strait.
Landscape and biological values were important focal points of the project, since the visitor center was built in a protected area.
The project was inaugurated in May 2021, and the project was carried out in close cooperation with clients, institutions,
landowners and the Danish Society for the Conservation of Nature.
The project team succeeded in expanding the protected area around the visitor center from 35 hectares to 128 hectares.
Design Location
Skamlingsbanken is located on the highest point in South Jutland and consists of an ancient grazing landscape,
and during the development of the visitor center it was necessary to protect the flora and fauna of the site.
So CEBRA worked with biologist Mette Keseler List, from the municipality of Kolding,
and a special herbal mixture based on local species was developed and spread in and around the building.
CEBRA is currently working on a project that will develop the visitor experience at Skamlingsbanken,
through an exhibition project in the landscape surrounding the visitor centre,
which is expected to be implemented over the next few years.
