“The Lantern”, a circular clubhouse for sports enthusiasts, has opened near the port of Esbjerg in Denmark.
The centre was designed by Norwegian architect Snøhetta and Copenhagen-based Werk Arkitekter. It combines space for water sports clubs, boat storage, training facilities and a workshop, with bar and restaurant.
According to Werk, the building’s circular shape was intended to help it resist coastal winds and also to create a sense of invitation for users, an effect supported by its large windows.
Werk comments: “The Maritime Centre gathers Esbjerg Port’s associations in a house without backs and creates a unique community. There is room here for the seasoned diver, the tireless rower and the school class who have to catch crabs, but also for the casual passer-by who gets a glimpse into a fantastic world of sky and sea.”
Morten Harder, Esbjerg’s city architect, commented: “This is truly an international class building. And the ambitions that the competition project had, I think, have also been fully achieved now that the building is finished.”
The first storey is made from cast concrete to improve flood resistance, and the façade is made from wood, which Werk says is able to resist the harsh coastal weather.
The centre of the Lantern is an amphitheatre with a wood-decked terrace where users and visitors can socialise.
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