Marsk Tower, a new sculptural landmark and lookout point in Southern Jutland, Denmark, designed by BIG, provides a new gathering place in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Wadden Sea National Park

Fact File
Name: Marsk Tower
Type: Commercial
Size: 25m high
Location: Hjemsted, Denmark
Images: Rasmus Hjortshoj BIG

A Visual Landmark

The 25-meter-high Marsk Tower - translated as Marsh Tower due to its location in the marshlands of Denmark’s popular National Park, Wadden Sea – offers expansive 360-degree views of the natural environment.

Appearing as a sculptural art object rising out of the landscape, Marsk Tower will function as an observation lookout that facilitates community as a key tourist landmark. A wheelchair-accessible tower, an elevator located in the core of the tower provides access via the ground level ramp. The tower’s simple design, defined by Corten steel materiality, exudes a natural aesthetic that blends with the surrounding environment while simultaneously becoming a new, visible destination in Denmark.

A Visual Landmark

“Marsk tower is a testament to our two decades-long friendship and collaboration with the blacksmiths of Schacks Trapper,” says Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director, BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group. “The double helix provides two stairs and an elevator with a single stack of rotating steel steps, allowing visitors to ascend and descend in a single spiraling loop from the sand to the sky – connecting the marsh land to the Wadden Sea.”

Wadden Sea National Park is one of the last remaining large-scale intertidal ecosystems in the world and is widely known for its unique natural environment of sea, dune, woods, heaths, fauna, and wildlife.

A Visual Landmark

The 12-hectare area around Southern Jutland’s new landmark, in addition to the 25-meter-high lookout tower, will comprise Marsk Camp, a tourist destination that includes restaurants, a mini golf course, glamping tents, an icehouse, and accommodations for up to 126 motorhomes, with room to expand.