SNøHeTTA DeSigNS exTeNSiON TO ORDRuPgAARD

Press release
Snøhetta designs extension
to Ordrupgaard
Within the coming years, Ordrupgaard wishes
to expand with an underground extension designed by top Norwegian architects Snøhetta.
The plans for the building, Himmelhaven, which
will secure the preservation of the museum’s
precious French collection for future generations, will be displayed in connection with the
museum’s summer exhibition.
It all began in 1918 as a private villa, designed by Gotfred Tvede. Later, Ordrupgaard became a state-owned
art museum, with an extension for special exhibitions
designed by the world-famous architect Zaha Hadid.
Now, Ordrupgaard wishes to take the next step: an
extension for the collection of French paintings, designed
by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta.
Himmelhaven
In 2012, Ordrupgaard launched a design competition for
an extension to house its valuable French art collection – a
collection which includes paintings by such masters as
Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
The aim was to provide optimum conditions for the art, so
that the works, including the delicate pastels, could both
be preserved for posterity and be brought up from the
storerooms and displayed to the benefit of the public here
and now. The winning proposal, a partially underground
extension to the museum measuring approximately 1,600
m², was designed by the Norwegian architects Snøhetta,
who called the building Himmelhaven, ‘heavenly garden’. The name refers to the penchant of the French
impressionists for plein air painting, and their ambition
to capture the light on the canvas.
Himmelhaven will be located on the north side of the
existing building complex, under the current gravel area,
and will thereby greet the public on arrival at the museum.
It will be carefully recessed into the landscape, so as
not to draw attention from the other buildings and the
surrounding park. The remarks of the unanimous judges’
panel included the following:
“With its proposal, Snøhetta shows exemplary empathy
with the spirit of the programme, and a great deal of
respect for the architecture of both Zaha Hadid and
Tvede.”
First Snøhetta project on Danish soil
Founded in 1987, Snøhetta is an architectural firm that
enjoys international recognition. The practice has made its
mark with numerous innovative building projects, including the Oslo Opera House, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
in Alexandria and the National September 11 Memorial
Museum Pavilion in New York, but the Himmelhaven will
be Snøhetta’s first building on Danish soil.
Ordrupgaard hopes to realise the building within the next
few years, and will be presenting Snøhetta’s proposals,
along with the museum’s building history, from 22 May
to 9 August in connection with the exhibition Passion for
Impressionism. Wilhelm Hansen’s Ordrupgaard.
Himmelhaven will be funded with
DKK 102.7 million from:
A.P. Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney
Møllers Fond til almene Formaal
Augustinus Fonden
Realdania
Det Obelske Familiefond
Knud Højgaards Fond