New life for heritage shipyard in the Elsinore of Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Pihl has won the carcass and finishing works contracts for the conversion and development of a new cultural centre “The Culture Yard” in Elsinore.

12 January 2009  Press Release

Danish contractor E. Pihl & Søn A.S. has won the carcass and finishing works contracts for the conversion and development of a new cultural centre “The Culture Yard” in The Municipality of Elsinore.

Pihl has signed a contract with The Municipality of Elsinore for the construction of the carcass and the execution of the finishing works of the Municipality’s new cultural centre on the former shipyard in the port of Elsinore.

The Culture Yard in Elsinore is part of a master plan for the area around Kronborg Castle and port of Elsinore, and it paves the way for an integrated cultural area in which cultural history meets modern cultural expression. Here, the Municipality will gather different cultural institutions and related activities in an attractive environment.

The winner of the open, international design competition concluded in the summer of 2006 was aart Architects. The first phase of the centre includes the Municipality’s new library, a theatre and a concert hall as well as a café, meeting and conference facilities, etc.

From The Beatles’ Liverpool to Hamlet’s Elsinore

Pihl looks forward to this new project in the port of Elsinore. Pihl has previously built Copenhagen’s new Opera House and the new Royal Playhouse, and is at the moment building the Museum of Liverpool in England in a joint venture with British Galliford Try. Like the Museum in Liverpool, the project in Elsinore is located in heritage surroundings.

’The building site in Liverpool is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list, but the new museum accentuates and highlights the historic surroundings in a very respectful manner,’ says project director Hans Anker Nielsen from Pihl, and he has the same expectations for Elsinore’s new cultural centre with the castle of Kronborg as its closest neighbour.

Established in 1887 by a master craftsman, Pihl maintains respect for artisan traditions and genuine craftsmanship but does also implement new energy-efficient methods within insulation, windows and other materials in new and old buildings. The Municipality’s criterion for the design of the Cultural Yard was to preserve parts of the former shipyard, and this is met by the winning project, which will highlight and preserve the original material and architectural qualities of the former shipyard by giving the existing buildings a climate envelope of glass.

Construction is expected to begin early 2009 and the building is to be ready for use in 2010.

Further information:

Project Director Hans Anker Nielsen
E. Pihl & Søn A.S.
Nybrovej 116
2800  Kgs. Lyngby
Denmark
Tel  +45  4527 7200
Fax +45  4527 7100