Danish architecture firm COBE has unveiled its design for Museum Wegner, a new cultural institution in Tønder, Denmark, dedicated to celebrating the life and work of renowned Danish furniture designer Hans J. Wegner. The museum will be built at Hestholm, a historic farm site dating back to 1445, combining the adaptive reuse of existing structures with contemporary architectural extensions. COBE was selected as the project architect in February 2024 following a competitive interview process and is now advancing the design toward construction with strong support from both local and national stakeholders.
The museum honors Hans J. Wegner (1914-2007), widely regarded as the "Master of the Chair," who created nearly 3,000 furniture pieces throughout his distinguished career. His most famous creation, the Wishbone Chair, remains an icon of Danish design excellence. Almost 200 of Wegner's designs continue to be manufactured today, serving as enduring symbols of Danish design heritage and its global influence. The museum's location in Tønder holds special significance as it is Wegner's birthplace, where he first trained as a carpenter before moving to Copenhagen to contribute to what became known as the golden age of Danish design.
Positioned within a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, the Museum Wegner project aims to provide a permanent home for the designer's legacy while establishing a new destination for design and culture enthusiasts in Denmark. The architectural approach draws direct inspiration from Wegner's own design philosophy, emphasizing craftsmanship, simplicity, and the honest use of materials. Constructed primarily in wood, the museum is conceived as "an object in the round" without a defined front or back facade, creating a dynamic dialogue with the surrounding marshland landscape.
The design language takes cues from the existing gabled farm buildings on the historic site, incorporating their characteristic long sloping roofs and traditional timber construction methods. Through visible structural elements, time-honored building techniques, and straightforward material choices, the project emphasizes the fundamental connection between form and function that was central to Wegner's design philosophy. This approach ensures that the building itself becomes a testament to the craftsmanship principles that Wegner championed throughout his career.
Inside the museum, visitors will experience both permanent and temporary exhibitions dedicated to Wegner's extensive body of work, while also providing space for broader explorations of craftsmanship, art, architecture, science, play, and technology. The facility will feature comprehensive workshop spaces, a café for visitors, a specialized library, an auditorium for lectures and presentations, and flexible event spaces that can accommodate various cultural activities. Rather than functioning as a static repository, the museum is designed to serve as a living cultural meeting place that celebrates design heritage while actively engaging with contemporary cultural production and innovation.
The Museum Wegner announcement coincides with several other significant developments in Denmark's evolving architectural landscape. The inaugural Copenhagen Architecture Biennial opened on September 18 and runs through October 19 under the theme "Slow Down," reflecting on sustainable and thoughtful approaches to urban development. Additionally, Team SLA, working in collaboration with By & Havn, has been selected to design Nordør, an ambitious new 30-hectare coastal nature park in the Nordhavn district. Meanwhile, an international team including Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Doug Aitken Workshop, NIRAS, Volcano, and RWDI has been commissioned to redesign three public spaces around major music venues in Ørestad, demonstrating Denmark's continued investment in enhancing its public realm and cultural infrastructure for future generations.
