In 2013, the former home of Museet for Dansk Frihedskamp 1940-1945 – or more popularly Frihedsmuseet (the Freedom Museum) – was exposed to a devastating fire, leading to its complete demolition.
Though it is believed that the fire was an act of arson, this remains unconfirmed. Fortunately the museum's objects and archives were saved, among them photographs, weapons and other artefacts from the German occupation period, that together show Denmark's struggle for freedom, liberty and resistance against Nazism.
The renowned studio Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects is behind the new minimalist, sustainable and energy-saving museum, set to be completed in 2019. Architecturally discreet, the building integrates into Churchill Park to honour the location of the original museum. Its entrance hall with information desk, shop and café take a striking greenery-covered rotunda shape.
As a symbol of the underground activity of the Resistance Movement, as well as to protect fragile objects from daylight, the museum's high-ceilinged exhibition spaces are subterranean. This also allows its architects to emphasise the seriousness of what’s displayed in a respectful and authentic manner.
