Ragnarock Museum

The city of Roskilde is home to one of the most iconic cultural events in Denmark, the legendary Roskilde Festival, which triples the population of the city for one week every summer, as 120,000 music lovers arrive from all over the world. Adjacent to the festival grounds lies Musicon, a post-industrial neighborhood currently dedicated to urban experiments and creativity. Ragnarock Museum is the heart of this creative district. In an almost defiant act of preservation, the aim has been to protect as many of the existing concrete buildings of the area to make sure the roughness and character stays intact. Ragnarock Museum clicks into place among the existing buildings, almost using them as a stage and a spatial resource for a contemporary landmark.

The site has played many different roles during the city’s historical development. For a long time it was occupied by Unicon, a factory that used the 250,000 square metre industrial site for concrete production.

Ragnarock’s exhibition space cantilevers 20 metres across the runner, creating a covered urban living room and entrance area that can serve as a stage for concerts and other public events.

With its gold-studded facade, red velvety interior and cantilevered auditorium, the Ragnarock Museum creates an exciting interplay of old and new, rough and polished, simple and bold that is quintessentially rock ’n’ roll.

The contrasting elements lend character to both the museum and the rest of area, transforming this former concrete factory into a new cultural icon for Roskilde that is deeply rooted in the industrial heritage of the site.