The Danish Refugee Museum FLUGT, a collaboration between BIG and exhibition design firm Tinker Imagineers, has officially opened in Varde Municipality, Denmark, with Queen Margrethe II in attendance. Situated in the Oksbøl district—the site of Denmark’s largest World War II refugee camp—the museum aims to raise awareness about refugees worldwide by conveying the immense challenges, emotional struggles, spiritual journeys, and personal stories faced by displaced people.
Following BIG’s design of the Tirpitz Museum on Denmark’s west coast, the Danish Refugee Museum FLUGT is their second project for Vardemuseerne. This local institution is dedicated to archaeology and preserving regional historical knowledge. BIG teamed up with engineering firm Ingeniør’ne and exhibition designers Tinker Imagineers to renovate and expand the “Hospital Building,” one of the few remaining structures from the former refugee camp, transforming it into a 1,600-square-meter museum.
Once the fifth largest city in Denmark, Varde Kommune still retains a few refugee camps in the Oksbøl district. While the camps have vanished, the historical narrative of people seeking refuge in a new country remains vital. Originally, the hospital building consisted of two long structures. BIG introduced a softly curved volume between them, physically and temporally connecting the separate buildings. This addition expands the museum by 500 square meters and creates a distinctive architectural form visible from afar.
The new curved extension gently reaches toward the street, creating an inviting arrival space for visitors. Clad in weather-resistant steel that echoes the red bricks of the original hospital, the facade offers a warm, homely feel. From outside, the museum’s abstract form leads visitors into a seemingly enclosed entrance hall. Inside, floor-to-ceiling arched glass walls frame views of the former refugee camp site, now shaded by green courtyards and forests. The courtyard design allows natural light to flood the lobby, which doubles as an entrance and temporary exhibition space. From here, visitors embark on their journey into the museum’s side wings to explore refugee stories.
The museum’s northern wing houses a new gallery space, designed by adapting the original hospital corridors and flow. While many ward walls were removed to create a larger exhibition area, some interior walls were preserved and reinforced with cross-sections to maintain structural integrity. The southern wing contains flexible conference rooms, smaller exhibition spaces, a café, and service areas. Its white walls and spatial divisions are clad in painted wooden boards, whose texture changes with the ceiling contours. Throughout the museum, yellow brick flooring connects the building’s historic past with its present function.
This project not only preserves and repurposes the original hospital building but also highlights its historical significance. Extending the lifespan of the existing structure aligns with BIG’s commitment to reducing waste, conserving energy, and minimizing carbon emissions associated with material production and transportation.
Designed by BIG’s landscape department, the museum’s courtyard offers a peaceful sensory experience that connects interior and exterior spaces. At its center lies a reflective pool mirroring the sky, surrounded by the local Heather plant, emphasizing the region’s natural character. Visitors are invited to reflect on Denmark’s history and the profound experiences of refugees.
Project Drawings
Project Information
Architectural Design: Bjarke Ingels Group
Area: 1,600 m²
Year: 2022
Photographer: Rasmus Hjortshoj
Lead Partners: Bjarke Ingels, Ole Elkjær-Larsen, Find Nørkjær
Project Leader: Frederik Lyng
Project Architect: Frederik Skou Jensen
Design Team: Ákos Márk Horváth, Anders Holden Deleuran, Andy Coward, Anne Søby Nielsen, Cheng-Huang Lin, Danyu Zeng, David Zahle, Eddie Chiu Fai Can, Gabrielé Ubareviciute, Hanne Halvorsen, Høgni Laksafoss, Laura Wätte, Katrine Juul, Kim Lauer, Lone Fenger Albrechtsen, Lukas Molter, Mads Primdahl Rokkjær, Marius Tromholt-Richter, Michael James Kepke, Muhammad Mansoor-Awais, Nanna Gyldholm Møller, Nikolaos Romanos Tsokas, Oliver Siekierka, Peter Mortensen, Richard Garth Howis, Sascha Leth Rasmussen, Sofiia Rokmaniko, Tore Banke, Thor Larsen-Lechuga, Tomas Karl Ramstrand, Toni Mateu, Tristan Robert Harvey
BIG Landscape Team: Anne Katrine Sandstrøm, Barbora Hrmova, Giulia Frittoli, Jonathan Udemezue, Kristian Mousten, Ulla Hornsyld
Location: Oksbøl, Denmark
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up