Located on the site of Denmark’s largest World War II refugee camp, the new Refugee Museum of Denmark, FLUGT, tells the stories of refugees from the camp as well as refugees worldwide.
At 1,600 square meters (about 17,220 square feet), the museum was designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and exhibition designers Tinker Imagineers. Together, they adapted and extended one of the camp’s few remaining structures—a hospital—into the museum.
“FLUGT seeks to give a voice and a face to humans who have been forced to flee their homes and capture the universal challenges, emotions, and nuances shared by refugees then and today,” Claus Kjeld Jensen, museum director, said in a statement.
The former hospital comprises two long buildings. BIG connected the two structures by adding a soft curve-shaped volume, which serves as a welcoming structure and creates 500 square meters (about 5,380 square feet) of additional museum space. From the outside, the volume welcomes visitors into a seemingly closed entry hall. But inside, a floor-to-ceiling curved glass wall reveals a sheltered green courtyard and the forest, where the refugee camp used to be. From the entry hall, which functions as a lobby or a temporary exhibition space, guests continue to one of the museum wings.
The north wing’s exhibition area contains gallery spaces organized according to the hospital’s original flow. The south wing includes a flexible conference room, smaller exhibition spaces, cafe, and back-of-house functions.
“We went into this project with all our heart to address one of the world’s greatest challenges—how we welcome and care for our fellow world citizens when they are forced to flee,” Bjarke Ingels, founding partner, BIG, said in the statement.
Related Stories
Museums | Sep 27, 2021
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures set to open on Sept. 30 in Los Angeles
Renzo Piano Building Workshop designed the project.
Art Galleries | Sep 16, 2021
Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture to open in Hong Kong
The museum will open on Nov. 12.
Museums | Aug 31, 2021
The Making of Harry Potter tour set to open on former Toshimaen amusement park grounds
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo will operate the facility.
Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2021
2021 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
The 2021 Giants 400 Report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Museums | Aug 27, 2021
DLR Group to design new facility for Jacksonville’s Museum of Science & History
The museum has outgrown its location on the Southbank of Downtown Jacksonville.
Museums | Aug 24, 2021
MAD Architects unveils design for Hainan Science and Technology Museum
The project is slated to break ground in late August.
Resiliency | Aug 19, 2021
White paper outlines cost-effective flood protection approaches for building owners
A new white paper from Walter P Moore offers an in-depth review of the flood protection process and proven approaches.
Museums | Aug 17, 2021
The Rubin Museum of Art’s Mandala Lab set to open
The new space occupies the museum’s third floor.
Museums | Jul 23, 2021
First museum devoted to artist-built environments opens in Sheboygan
Tres Birds designed the project.
Museums | Jul 20, 2021
ANOHA — The Children’s World of the Jewish Museum Berlin opens
Olson Kundig designed the project.
