Spøttrup Castle

Just west of the Danish town of Skive, in the small town Salling, there is a magical place. Spøttrup Castle is a well preserved building that captures the essence of the Middle Ages and where visitors can experience the history of Denmark.

It now has a new visitor centre nearby surrounded by the forest and acting a discreet entrance to the entire area. The architects Exners Tegnestue cleverly solved the task of designing something which would not detract from the castle using the trees that were felled to clear the site to create façades which resemble a woodpile.

The centre welcomes visitors in a very pleasant way, creating a memorable transition from the present to the past and including a historical exhibition.

The materials for the building have been carefully selected, as architect MAA, Finn Larsen explains:
“The main idea was to make the materials – and therefore the building – look natural with patina and coarse texture. Hence, the materials are raw and robust - oak for the woodpile façades and Siberian larch for the exhibition space. By using these materials inside and out, the lines are broken and, depending on the location, the wood will patinate in different ways. To protect the wood facades , large roof eaves of larch and glass channel the rainwater into the forest floor.”

“The floor in the foyer is made of Swedish rocks from Kinnekulle while the administration offices have floors of oak. Troldtekt acoustic panels hide the installations in the ceilings and, at the same time, absorb the sound which, together with the wood surfaces, ensures good acoustics even when many visitors are gathered at the same time. In the panel joints, lighting tracks have been installed to harmonise with the whole. All are good materials that can regulate the humidity and, together with the natural ventilation, ensure a healthy indoor climate.”