Danish National Maritime Museum in Helsingør, Denmark by Kossmann.dejong

Article source: Kossmann.dejong

Kossmann.dejong has designed the new display for the Danish National Maritime Museum in Helsingør. The exhibition spaces are all underground, surrounding a former dry dock. The architectural design comes from the well-known Danish architectural practice BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group).

Image Courtesy © Luca Santiago Mora

• Architects: Kossmann.dejong
• Project:Danish National Maritime Museum
• Location: Helsingør, Denmark
• Photography: Thijs Wolzak, Luca Santiago Mora

Image Courtesy © Luca Santiago Mora

The metaphor that underpins the multimedia exhibition is that of a journey, which starts with an imagining of the universal yearning to discover far away shores and experience adventures at sea. Denmark’s maritime history, up to the current role of the shipping industry globally, is told via a topical approach, including notions such as harbour, navigation, war and trade. The exhibition has been made accessible for a broad audience through the intertwining of many different perspectives on the shipping industry.

Theme Globalisation, the container, as the main protagonist in the expansion and standardisation of modern shipping, is literally put on a pedestal, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Kossmann.dejong made use of the unique sculptural qualities of the building in their scenography, so that architecture and interiors intensified and complemented each other. Very narrow spaces, for example, are used to evoke the oppressive atmosphere of the war. The wider, open space emphasise the openness of the sea, or the grand scale of contemporary globalisation.

Theme globalisation, Denmark’s maritime history is being told up until the significance of the contemporary shipping industry globally, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Danish Maritime Museum
Kossmann.dejong has designed the new display for the Danish National Maritime Museum in Helsingør. The architectural design comes from the well-known Danish architectural practice BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). The exhibition spaces are all underground, surrounding a former dry dock. The museum opened on 5 October 2013.

The traditional harbour presented as the gate to the world, but also as a place of temptations, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Journey as a metaphor
The metaphor that underpins the multimedia exhibition is that of a journey, which starts with an imagining of the universal yearning to discover far away shores and experience adventures at sea. A lighthouse projects dreamy images of shipping as depicted in art and culture. Portholes that have been transformed into showcases present the image of seamen as it has been shaped through the ages. Objects such as Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male perfume bottle, erotic playsuits, Lego pirate toys, Popeye the Sailor Man, and Donald Duck show how colourful the perception of sailors has been over time.

Show cases shaped as icebergs at theme Navigation, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Economical significance
Denmark’s infamous maritime history, up until the significance of the contemporary shipping industry globally, is being told in a dynamic way, via themes such as ship, harbour, fleet, war, trade and globalisation. The interconnecting layer in the exhibition is the presentation of ‘cargo’. Piles of various goods illustrate the economical significance of the development of the industry, which has also been accompanied by tremendous change for the average consumer.  The container, as the main protagonist in the expansion and standardisation of modern shipping, is literally put on a pedestal. A scale model of the world’s largest containership, which is launched in China in June, has been made especially for the exhibition.

Theme Navigation, show cases shaped as icebergs with projections of seascapes on the wall, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Perspectives
The exhibition has been made accessible to a broad audience through the intertwining of many different perspectives on the shipping industry. Through the eyes of sailors, ship owners, captains and sailors’ wives, visitors are introduced to the temptations of the harbour, life on board, and the skills required at sea. The lucrative business the shipping industry engaged in during the war is also paid attention to.

Portholes that have been transformed into showcases present the image of seamen as it has been shaped through the ages, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Film and ‘interactives’
Impressive three-dimensional film installations have been used in the depiction of the themes. For these, a lot of original film footage has been unearthed from archives and private collections. Through many ‘interactives’, visitors can learn to trade, navigate and even ink a tattoo.

Theme Seafever, A lighthouse projects dreamy images of shipping as depicted in art and culture, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Architecture and interior
Kossmann.dejong made use of the unique sculptural qualities of the building in their scenography, so that architecture and interiors intensified and complemented each other. Very narrow spaces, for example, are used to evoke the oppressive atmosphere of the war. The wider, open space emphasise the openness of the sea, or the grand scale of contemporary globalisation.

Theme Abroad, large abstract creation of a ship’s hull, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Theme Teaparty, the First Globalisation is presented by the story of Denmark’s colonial interest as a trading nation, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

At theme war, the very narrow space is used to evoke the oppressive atmosphere of the war, Image Courtesy © Thijs Wolzak

Image Courtesy © Luca Santiago Mora

Image Courtesy © Kossmann.dejong

Tags: Denmark, Helsingør

Category: Museum

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