KHR has designed the new Visitor Centre, which replaces the former Langtved Færgekro, which burnt down in 2009, and is built within the inn's grounds. The new Visitor Centre will be in close contact with nature and add a modernity to the site that will be perceived as timeless and in harmony with its context.
Church Såby
Denmark
Ryegaard and Trudsholm Estates
2014
810 ㎡
Building in harmony with its context
The design of the new Visitor Centre is inspired by the historic secular buildings we traditionally associate with buildings in the open countryside. In particular, the stack of a nearby country house inspired the design during the sketching process. Our initial aim was to design a porous building that provides both a physical and a visual contact with the surrounding landscape. The building is designed with a piled foundation to respect the vulnerable landscape and raised so that the top floor of the lower part of the building is 2 metres above normal water level. This design is intended to secure the new building during future flood events.
The above considerations must be set against the desire to add a modernity to the site that will be perceived as timeless and in harmony with its context. The building is made of wood, the exterior of which is rustic in a dark shade, while the interior has light, smooth surfaces.
Close contact with nature and surroundings
Whereas the former inn was created to meet the needs of people on their individual journeys, the new Visitor Centre will provide a general social and cultural framework for the healthy living of modern families in close contact with nature.
Where the former inn was located on the landscape, the new Visitor Centre will be integrated into the landscape to blend in and with the surrounding nature. Where the former inn was perceived as introverted in both design and spatial organisation, the new Visitor Centre will be perceived as extroverted and in dialogue with its context.
"The new Visitor Centre will add a special atmosphere to the site, where living in and enjoying the surrounding nature builds and contributes to the understanding and respect for the cultural values of the landscape."
Peter Nielsen, Head of Building Consultancy, KHR Architecture
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