Nyborg Castle
JAJA Architects
Copenhagen, Denmark
ABOUT
The restoration and extension of Nyborg Castle revitalizes one of Denmark’s most important cultural heritage sites. Once considered the Capital of medieval Denmark, it has experienced many changes over its 800-year life-span. Most recently, over the past century, it has slowly degraded to a point where much of its historic importance has become unrecognizable.
When designing the new visitor center the primary question was: How do you create a contemporary extension that respects the heritage and history, but is also a product of the present?
There has been little documentation, but numerous artifacts support that the primary elements of the castle were the royal wing, the watchtower and the moat. Today, these elements stand alone, but historically, they were unified by a heavy brick wall that formed an impenetrable fortress.
The extension reestablishes the imposing fortification as an extension of the existing. Without plagiarizing or romanticizing history, there is a clear distinction, yet strong relationship between new and old.
ROLE
Architect
CLIENT
Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen
PROGRAM
Museum Extension & Restoration
LOCATION
Nyborg, Denmark
STATUS
On Hold
YEAR
2016 - Ongoing
AWARDS
1st Prize Competition
Exterior Render
During the Medieval period, Nyborg Castle and the fortified city were the centers of power. The Danehof, the first Danish Parliament, resided in Nyborg Castle.
Plans
Over the past 800 years, Nyborg Castle has changed significantly and its historical importance has been altered. The historical tournament plaza has been turned into a parking lot. The once towering watchtower has been shortened. The moat is overgrown. The Royal Wing, although the most impressive relic, does not fully reveal the grandeur of the past.
Elevations
The historical ring wall was, and remains, the fundamental element that forms the castle. It unites the different sections of the castle and reestablishes the imposing presence it had as a fortification. Rather than rebuilding the ring wall as a an copy of the past, the architectural gestures interprets a new ring wall based on its historic location. And within the fortification a timber 'barn' is introduced, creating a clear distinction between what was once a heavy defensive structure and the life it protected within.
Aerial View
