Wegner Museum Tønder by Cobe | Scandinavian Design

Danish architecture studio Cobe has revealed the design for Museum Wegner, a 5,000-square-meter cultural institution dedicated to furniture designer Hans J. Wegner in Tønder, Denmark

Selected as competition winner in February 2024, the project transforms a historic agricultural site into a contemporary museum that honors one of Denmark’s most influential designers.

Located in Hestholm, southeast of Tønder where Wegner spent his formative years learning carpentry, the museum rises above marshy terrain on stilts. This elevated approach preserves natural water flows while creating a distinctive architectural statement that reflects Wegner’s design principles: craftsmanship, simplicity, and honest materiality.

Cobe’s design integrates two parallel wooden wings that connect and extend existing farm buildings dating to 1445. These structures frame a circular courtyard and join at their southern end through a curved link, establishing dialogue between contemporary architecture and agricultural heritage. The museum’s timber construction and sloping rooflines echo the vernacular architecture of the restored farmhouses, creating visual continuity across centuries.

Denmark currently maintains only two museums exploring Danish design, making this institution particularly significant for preserving Wegner’s legacy. Known as the “Chair Master,” Hans J. Wegner (1914–2007) created nearly 3,000 furniture pieces during his career, including the Wishbone Chair. Today, approximately 200 of his designs remain in production, demonstrating the enduring influence of Danish design internationally.

The museum’s comprehensive program includes permanent and temporary exhibition spaces showcasing Wegner’s work alongside explorations of art, architecture, technology, and culture. Workshops, a library, auditorium, café, and flexible event spaces will activate the building throughout the year, ensuring Wegner’s design philosophy remains accessible to contemporary audiences.

Cobe founder Dan Stubbergaard emphasizes the project’s contextual approach: “The Wegner Museum connects the designer’s sculptural work with the local heritage, leveraging the history of the site to experience his furniture in diverse settings.” This strategy positions the museum as both preservation project and cultural destination.

The building’s circulation design eliminates traditional front-back hierarchy, allowing visitors to experience the structure as a complete entity. This approach mirrors Wegner’s holistic design methodology, where every angle of a chair received equal consideration. The elevated construction on stilts creates covered outdoor spaces beneath the building, extending the museum experience into the landscape.

Museum Wegner represents a significant addition to Denmark’s cultural infrastructure, establishing Tønder as a design destination while honoring local heritage. The project demonstrates how contemporary architecture can respectfully integrate historic structures, creating spaces where past and present engage in meaningful dialogue.

Photo:
Model of the Wegner Museum by Cobe. Image courtesy of Wegner Museum.
Renderings of the Wegner Museum by Cobe. Image courtesy of Cobe.

MORE INFORMATION
Architects Cobe.
Client Wegner Museum Tønder.
Area 5,000 m².
Dates Competition.- February 2024.
Venue / Location Kongevej, 51. 6270 Tønder, Denmark.

DAN STUBBERGAARD. COBE
COBE is a limited liability company owned by Founder and Creative Director Dan Stubbergaard (30.01.1974). COBE is a progressive and contemporary community of architects that focuses on architecture and design, from buildings to public space, to large-scale urban planning. In 2005, Dan Stubbergaard and Vanessa Miriam Carlow founded COBE. The name COBE is derived from the two cities the founders are coming from – Copenhagen and Berlin. Since its establishment, COBE has gained international recognition through the realization of beautiful and innovative projects.