Danish Natural History Museum

This competition entry for the new Danish Natural History Museum is centered around three basic ideas: under the sea, under the earth and under the sky. Five matte glass “Islands of Light” emerge from a large reflecting pond. These ice-like elements organize the supporting structure below and the exhibits in the main space, while bringing in natural light. Below the surface of water, five tubes of translucent glass shape an exhilarating space with the world’s largest whale specimen collection swimming at different levels.

‘Under the earth’ is represented by a triangle of the landscape lifts up to bring natural light into the sections of the exhibit entitled “Facing North.” The entrance from the garden side is defined by this earth fold. A convex curve, like a cloud shaping an area ‘under the sky’ defines a main entrance pavilion constructed entirely out of clear structural glass walls. The sand-blasted top picks up a glow of projected light like the underside of a cloud. A single whale suspended inside reveals a first look at the exhibition to be found below.