Cold War Museum Regan Vest / AART

Architects: AART
Year: 2023
Photographs: Rasmus Hjortshøj
Town: Skørping
Country: Denmark

Cold War Museum Regan Vest, designed by AART in Rold Forest, Denmark, extends the hidden Cold War-era bunker Regan Vest, built 60 meters underground to shelter Denmark’s government and monarch in case of nuclear war. Kept secret until 2012, the bunker opened as a museum in 2023, with a new structure housing a café, exhibition spaces, and offices. AART clad the four black-steel blocks in panels that will patinate to a rusty red, echoing the bunker’s aged materials. Partially embedded into the sloping site, the building connects to the bunker through a landscaped path by SLA Architects. Inside, black steel and exposed concrete reference the 1960s bunker atmosphere, while matte varnished Corten plates will weather over time, resembling abandoned war materials.

Black-metal panels and shutters lend an “aura of mystique” to the Cold War Museum Regan Vest in Denmark, designed by architecture studio AART. Situated on the site of Regan Vest, the museum stands above a concealed Cold War-era bunker that was secretly constructed 60 meters beneath northern Jutland’s Rold Forest.

In the event of a nuclear war, the bunker was designated as the evacuation site for both the Danish government and monarch. Its existence remained undisclosed until 2012. In 2023, the structure was opened to the public as a museum, with a building designed by Aarhus-based AART that includes a café and additional exhibition space dedicated to Denmark’s Cold War history.

To reflect the bunker’s secretive nature, AART clad the four blocks of Cold War Museum Regan Vest in black-coated steel panels designed to weather over time, gradually developing a rusty red patina that mimics the aged appearance of the bunker. According to AART partners Anders Tyrrestrup and Nicolaj Thunbo, the design features four matte-black volumes, deliberately abstracted to conceal and evoke the hidden history within.

They further explained that this design approach sparks visitor curiosity from the moment of arrival, shaping the experience with an aura of mystique and historical significance. They also noted that the enigmatic volumes seamlessly integrate into the visitor’s journey, maintaining a continuous narrative of suspense and historical depth. Partially embedded into the sloping site, the blocks house exhibition and event spaces, a central café, and a reception area, with offices positioned on the opposite side. A path lined with lighting and planting runs along the front of the museum, ensuring access while establishing a connection to the bunker. This pathway is part of a broader landscape design created by SLA Architects.

The facade of the central and largest block of Cold War Museum Regan Vest features full-height shutters, enabling the reception and café windows, along with an external seating terrace, to open up to the surrounding landscape. Inside, black steel and exposed concrete evoke the atmosphere of the 1960s bunker, while pale wood details in the café provide a subtle contrast and warmth.

Tyrrestrup and Thunbo explained that the choice of materials subtly and modernly reflects the character of the original bunker. They further noted that the matte varnished Corten plates covering the volumes will gradually patinate to a rusty red, resembling abandoned war materials.