Wadden Sea Centre

Located in the southern part of Jutland, Denmark, the Wadden Sea is Denmark’s largest national park and appointed World
Heritage by UNESCO. The mudflats of the sea banks cover a stretch of 500 km around 12,000 years ago ,along the coast of
Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands and the structure completed in 2017. It is virtually impossible not to be inspired by
this ancient natural scenery, which is why Dorte Mandrup has created a one-of-a-kind building that pays homage to the
regional material and traditional craftsmanship of the Wadden Sea.
Characteristics
The characteristics of the Wadden Sea is the breath-taking infinite landscape with an all-encompassing horizon that creates the
illusion of sky and land becoming one. At first glance, the wildlife is not immediately obvious within the flatness of the Wadden
Sea but when you look closer the rich life and ecosystem allows for a perfect environment for nature and organisms . The Wadden
Sea can almost be compared to an international airport where, every year 10-12 million birds make a stopover to refuel before
travelling on to their breeding grounds.

Wadden Sea is one of the last remaining large-scale, intertidal ecosystems where natural processes continue to function largely
undisturbed.
Environment
It is a large, temperate, relatively flat coastal wetland environment, formed by the intricate interactions between physical and
biological factors that have given rise to a multitude of transitional habitats with tidal channels, sandy shoals, sea-grass
meadows, mussel beds, sandbars, mudflats, salt marshes, estuaries, beaches and dunes. The area is home to numerous plant
and animal species, including marine mammals such as the harbour seal, grey seal and harbour porpoise.

The landscape, the biological richness and the many migratory birds make the area unique, and also a favoured tourist
destination that attracts many visitors every year.. Out in the open and downstairs through the large underwater window you can
watch the birds in close-up. Watch the fast and elegant eider dive for food
Materiality

The centre has been erected with thatched roofs and facades. The building hereby underlines the tactile qualities and
robustness that can be found in traditional crafts and materials of the region.
•It is naturally weather-resistant.
•It does not absorb a lot of water when properly maintained.
•A roof pitch of at least 50-degrees allows precipitation to run off quickly.
•It is a natural insulator, with air pockets that insulate well in both warm and cold weather.
Activities

With the new exhibition centre that comprises of 2,800 square meters for exhibition and communication
activities. Through large glass panels a number of the rooms are fully integrated with the outdoor exhibition area as
well as with the sur- rounding landscape. Teaching and research facilities, cafe and a shop, the centre promotes
the natural wildlife of the park for visitors from all over the world. The idea behind the teaching environment is that
knowledge is gained through experience, and college classes, schools and kindergartens learn about the fauna,
flora and the geomorphologic features of the landscape through biology and geography exercises.
 Lighting

The reflection and the experience of dissolving horizons into the Birdbeamers with a materiality to match and designed a light rig
that appears simple on the outside but is tech-rich beneath the surface. It appears to float in the space and becomes an integral
piece of design that inhabits the space rather than cluttering it. To give lightness to the design, they positioned the lights on top
looking down like birds perching on higher ground.
 Tinted Lighting

The elevated world in which birds often inhabit of birds is high in the sky where natural light is in constant change. From
moonlight, sunrise and sunset, the birds experience an extensive variety of colours throughout the passage of a day. Within the
exhibition, they have worked with carefully selected and tested glass colour filters to reference the natural light and the softness
of the sky with focus on pastel colours.
The Cabinet of Curiosity

Understanding the complexities of the anatomy of birds requires focus and attention to details . The lighting for the cabinet of
curiosity is integrated into a bespoke spine-rig that references the skeletal system of a bird. The delicate spotlights are high
CRI to illuminate interiority features such as the hand painted watercolour paintings by the artist Carl Christian Tofte. The lighting
invites you to silently explore and investigate the birds anatomy at a closer scale offering a peaceful environment for
concentration and learning.
Digital Ornithology

Jason Bruges Studio in collaboration with JAC Studios created an immersive installation that represents the 12 million
migratory birds and the unique landscape of the Wadden Sea. Digital Ornithology is the last sequence of the exhibition, which
follows a journey of exploration and discovery of the native birds, to being fully immersed in their unique habitat and behaviours.
The installation is comprised of hundreds of LCD screens suspended from the ceiling in a sequence that represents the migration
of the birds.
The walls and ceiling of the space are grazed in cool white light to dissolve the boundaries of the space and create a backdrop
for the LCD panels as they flicker like birds in the sky. With an amalgamation of projection mapping of live footage and the
light-modulating behaviour of the LCD’s, the result is an ephemeral and captivating acquaintance.