Lemvig, Denmark
Located in Lemvig’s harbor, the Klimatorium, designed by 3XN and SLA Architects, is a waved-shaped building made of wood, steel, and concrete whose design is inspired by the local boat-building facilities found in the spectacular natural scenery of the Limfjord and the strong communities of the port.
The Klimatorium houses Denmark’s international climate center offering an innovative and creative mini-hub for storm surge, water, and climate research.
The Klimatorium project has recently been awarded a 2022 International Architecture Awards Honorable Mention by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The symbol of the building is a wooden “wave” that rises above the main entrance and makes the building an easily recognizable landmark.
This motif is inspired by Lemvig’s characteristic fishing boats and is a tribute to the area’s cultural history and local building customs. But the wave also refers to the serious challenges we face as a result of climate change.
“The tiled wave made of wood gives the building a strong identity. Both inside and out, it becomes a gathering point and social meeting place for Klimatorium employees and guests as well as the people of Lemvig,” says Jan Ammundsen, architect and senior partner at 3XN.
The floating structure and use of glass give the Klimatorium a distinct contemporary look. The building has two levels and has in terms of scale been adapted to fit in with the existing buildings in the port area.
The first floor is surrounded by black-stained wooden slats, which give the building a simple and rustic look and protect it against direct sunlight.
Inside, the Klimatorium offers office spaces, meeting rooms, common areas, and a publicly accessible café and exhibition area that focus on creating social synergies by encouraging users of the building to engage in different kinds of interaction, meetings, and collaboration.
Visual contact, a flexible framework, attractive meeting points, overlapping functions, and activity-based design all contribute to reinforcing social relations within the building as well as promoting community and innovation.
The Klimatorium highlights the development of the Port of Lemvig from a commercial port to one of Denmark’s most impressive experience ports while the extensive and integrated flood protection of the port is finally completed.
Project: Klimatorium Climate Centre
Architects: 3XN A/S
Landscape Architects: SLA Architects
General Contractor: WSP
Client: Lemvig Vand & Spildevand og Lemvig
Photographers: Adam Mørk
