Denmark-based architect Dorte Mandrup has won her third UNESCO World Heritage Center project, with her design of the Trilateral Wadden Sea World Heritage Partnership Centre. The project was the winner in a contest to design a new headquarters for the Centre, an organization that aims to protect the Wadden Sea and is jointly run by Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
The Wadden Sea area was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and is the world's largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats.
“We are excited to have completed the circle of the Wadden Sea projects located in this unique UNESCO-protected landscape. By informing visitors about the important surrounding ecosystem and in creating an engaging architectural space, the aim is to make it an even more unique experience to visit the Wadden Sea,” said Mandrup.
Drawing upon a motif of harbor piers that rest in the water, the building is lifted away from the ground and extends upwards with the structure highlighting the horizon lines. The sloping plinth connects to the promenade level of the building and extends down to the waterfront. The open floor plates transition seamlessly between the exterior and the interior space. The building will feature several exhibition spaces, research facilities, offices, a seal center, a restaurant, a café, and a hotel. Visitors will be able to experience 360-degree views of the Wadden Sea, and the landscape in the distance.
The project is expected to be completed in 2020.
News via: Dorte Mandrup.
