bessards' studio + jaja architects add kaleidoscope to danish lighthouse

bessards’ studio + jaja architects add kaleidoscope to danish lighthouse
(above) apart from rumbling, the tower is the only trace left of the historic lighthouse
image © hampus per berndtson

ferocious pounding storms constantly move and shape the fantastic dune landscape on the northwest coast of denmark. in 1968 an enormous sand dune devoured ‘rubjerg knude ligthouse’ leaving the tower as the only remaining structure, poised on the edge of the rapidly eroding cliff. this spring the lighthouse was reopened and retrofitted with an architectural installation that gives the public the last chance to enjoy the unique vistas and wild dynamic spectacle of nature, from the top of the lighthouse.

surveys suggest that the lighthouse will be taken by the sea within three years, or a bit more
image © hampus per berndtson

bessards’ studio and jaja architects designed a scenographic stairway giving access to the tower and making the ascent a sequence of architectural experiences. staging its historic function as a beacon for the seafarers, they inserted a gigantic wind-powered kaleidoscope into the lighthouse that captures natural light and reflection, sending it inwards to create an ever-changing cascade of colors and glimpses of the sea and surrounding landscape. the kaleidoscope also functions as the structural element on which the stair wraps itself around. the triangular shape of the kaleidoscope in combination with the perforated and transparent stair create a playful interaction with the square geometry of the lighthouse, staging a unique experience of the vertical space, which stretches between earth and sky.

video courtesy of JAJA

the project is a variation on the properties of one unique material: steel. rusted, mirror polished, bent, perforated, welded and finally carefully assembled into a monolith inside the lighthouse. it provides a visual and tactile experience reacting to the extreme meteorological characteristics of the site that creates an aging process that gradually merges the kaleidoscope together with the historic lighthouse.

the entrance to the lighthouse where the presence of the kaleidoscope is subtly announced 
image © hampus per berndtson

according to geological surveys, the lighthouse will be taken by the sea within the next 2 to 15 years. nobody knows exactly when the tower will fall but when it will, the project will be entirely disassembled and – thanks to its constructive system – be remounted or recycled. the revitalization of ‘rubjerg knude lighthouse’ is part of a nation-wide initiative of architectural interventions that seek to invite the public to experience the most unique and remarkable areas of the danish landscape.

rubjerg knude transformation was commissioned by realdania foundation, the danish nature agency and hjørring municipality.

conceptual drawing: a wind-powered kaleidoscope inserted into the historic lighthouse
image © hampus per berndtson

extending 22m to the top of the lighthouse makes it the tallest kaleidoscope in the world
image © hampus per berndtson

a wind-powered rotating prism creates an ever-changing animation of light and reflection
image © hampus per berndtson

the thin perforated steel stairs ensure visual connections 
image © hampus per berndtson

stair space in between the walls of the historic lighthouse and kaleidoscope 
image © hampus per berndtson

larger platforms provide break spaces for visitors
image © hampus per berndtson

looking up at the prism that shows the reflection of the surrounding landscape 
image © hampus per berndtson

the rotating prism sends light into the kaleidoscope while sending light inwards into the tower
image © hampus per berndtson

‘rubjerg knude lighthouse’ splits the moving sand dune, pushing the tower closer to the sea
image © hampus per berndtson

project info:

project title: rubjerg knude lighthouse
location: lønstrup, denmark
program: transformation of a lighthouse
year: 2016
architects: bessards’ studio & jaja architects
client: naturstyrelsen
financed by: realdania, hjørring kommune and env-fonden
engineering: erasmus & partners engineering consultants
contractor: hadsten smede- og maskinværksted a/s
photographer: hampus per berndtson

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom