H.C. Andersen Museum is a real life fairytale
You’ll find it between a residential area of pretty, traditional wooden homes and the bustling urban environment of Odense. H.C. Andersen Museum, garden and cultural center honors the natural world and the museum’s namesake.
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Located in Denmark, the H.C. Andersen Museum is all about bringing life to the written word, creating spaces where you can feel and see stories. Even the architecture of the building itself reflects Andersen’s particular style and his use of duality in his storytelling.
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Furthermore, circular forms that create a chain-like design were used. The linear green wall is designed to have a continuous curve, a sweeping design that defines the garden above. The green wall weaves in and out, above and belowground. It’s part of the experience. As visitors walk through the museum, the wall appears and disappears and reappears.
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Additionally, the exhibition areas are all underground. The garden is right above. A curving hedge in the garden outlines the exhibition spaces below. The garden is an exhibit all its own. Trees and leaves create a maze-like feeling. The garden will change over time, through the seasons and through the years, showing off different colors and different types of nature. It’s a living exhibit.
Therefore, the museum will reconnect two parts of the city: an older and a newer section that were previously separated. A new public area will create a transition zone between the two.
The museum was curated by Hana Abdel. Yuki Ikeguchi served as the partner in charge of this design project, working with Kengo Kuma and Associates. MASU Planning created the spectacular landscape design.
H.C. Andersen, better known as Hans Christian Andersen, wrote many beloved fairytales that are still widely enjoyed today, including “The Ugly Duckling,” “Thumbelina,” and “The Little Mermaid.” His fanciful stories have delighted readers for generations. This museum honors the whimsical nature of his stories. It also honors nature and the natural world.
Photography by Rasmus Hjortshøj – COAST