Wadden Sea Center

The Wadden Sea Centre is located on the southwest coast of Jutland in Denmark, near Ribe. It hosts exhibitions about the Wadden Sea and forms a starting point for guided tours in the nature reserve.

The Dorte Mandrup A/S design reuses and integrates two existing buildings within a new ensemble around a central barnyard, a typology inspired by traditional Danish farmhouses. The stretched horizontal character of the building relates logically with the surrounding landscape, while the use of regional biobased building materials blends it in with its environment naturally.

The striking reed facade consists of 25.000 bundles of locally sourced reed. The reed was dried on-site in the salty air and requires little to no maintenance. Another prominent material used is Robinia (Black Locust) wood.
This type of wood has qualities similar to those of exotic hardwoods but can be locally sourced in Europe. In addition, it grows rapidly, making it a sustainable option.