The new Kalø Tower in Rønde, Denmark, gives visitors an unexpectedly intricate spatial experience inside a 700-year-old medieval ruin previously inaccessible to the public. Once a national landmark where tourists could only peek through a small hole to view the interior, the tower is now a fully immersive piece of architecture.
MAP Architects designed an entrance, zig-zagging staircase and viewing tower where visitors come face-to-face with the archeological layers of the remains of Kalø Slotsruin. The site is a national tourist attraction located in the northern part of the Jutland Peninsula, an area northeast of Aarhus, Denmark’s second largest city.
For the first time since its restoration in 1903, visitors can explore the cubic structure and enjoy spectacular views over the bay from its summit. Kalø Tower offers a new perspective of the surrounding landscape and connects both tourists and Danes alike with the details of the castle’s original construction.
The castle was first built for the Jutlandic nobility in 1313 but was chartered to be broken down as soon as 1320 under new royal leadership. Over the centuries, the site was repurposed as a local administrative center and later a state prison. In the early 1800s, Kalø was declared a nationally protected site, and in 2009, the State of Denmark incorporated it into Mols Bjerge National Park.
© Tyra Dokkedahl
The 38-square-meter [409-square-foot] castle is three stories high and two stories deep. To ensure maximum preservation of the site and its lone surviving bricks, MAP Architects used an in-house portable 3D scanner to study its exact measurements. This technology allowed them to design the new steel frame staircase with extremely low tolerances, with structural supports at only four points on the ruin. As a result, the top of the stairs appear to float from one wall to the other.
© Bjorn
The addition of this simple staircase adds a surprising amount of depth and contrast to the small site, without making it feel overly cluttered. The firm used ash wood and paint treated with heat to guarantee its durability for up to 60 years. The smooth texture of the wood and the black handrail marries well with the red and yellow brick inside the castle.
Two glass boxes extend from the staircase through the existing eroded openings, allowing visitors to step outside the castle for alternative views at various heights.
© Bjorn
Since opening, the site has doubled its visitors, and the project was nominated for the 2017 European Mies van der Rohe Award. Other heritage sites around the world like Kalø Slotsruin should take note of the tower’s new design. It is proof that, with attention to detail and respect for rich history, a site can be transformed, providing an entirely new perspective for visitors and strengthening national pride overnight.