House of Fairytales Hans Christian Andersen Museum
The creation of the House of Fairytales is a shifting opportunity to reset the Loetze’s Garden into an important gathering place, becoming a pivotal location in the center of Odense. The city transformations, that will reconnect the center, face an historical site with potential to evolve into a conceptually strong urban structure – especially when rooted to themes developed by one of Denmark main figures.
From the overlapping of these stories, the concept and the rich context, results the structure of a museum that can be summed up to three assertive gestures.
The INTEGRATION in the existing buildings, embedding Hans Christian Anderson birthplace and shaping itself to the remaining block, consolidating it. The STANDOUT of the museum as an iconic and referential building among the trees of the now extended garden. An action strong enough to wonder and inspire, becoming an important landmark that can, not only attract foreign visitors but also contribute to a singular living space. The DEFINITION of an entrance square through the placement of a cafeteria setting a spatial hierarchy along the garden.
These three moments are connected underground, following a path that runs through a succession of spaces and motifs that blend the history of the writer himself and his work.
One of the key elements of the proposal is the green space and its expression. Enhancing its intensity is crucial, so as its relationship with the museum. These two premisses will allow transforming the scope in a real gateway into the writer's fairytale world. The evolution requires more density and depth, transforming the garden into an urban enchanted forest that can carry the visitor to a scenario of wonder.