Gaarden – a centre for regional food culture

Gudhjem

GOAL no. 4, 12, 17

A regional centre for culinary culture celebrates and reinterprets the culinary history of Bornholm and promotes the island’s strategic focus on locally produced food.

More than 60 per cent of all land in Denmark is farmland, making it one of the most intensively cultivated countries in Europe. Since more than 80 per cent of the farmland is used to grow animal feed or dedicated to pig or cattle farms, Denmark imports large quantities of fruit, vegetables and bread grain. Thus, there is considerable potential in developing more sustainable local systems.

Denmark’s first centre for regional culinary culture is situated in an old garden alongside Melstedgård, a thatched-roof farmstead which is now an open-air agricultural museum.

Production facilities and communal rooms form a setting for activities that promote the island’s strategic focus on local food products. With roots in nature and cultural history Gaarden hosts events and houses a food industry centre, a development centre, a farm shop and a showroom for local food producers.

The shape and size of the new building was inspired by the historical farmstead, but the thatched roof has been replaced by a lightweight, timber clad pitched roof. The timber constructions are reminiscent of half-timbered structures. Large, glazed sections draw the outdoors in while displaying indoor activities to the outside. The culinary centre includes about 25 hectares of land, which are used for experimental cultivation, local fruit varieties and livestock. Some of the land is used by green entrepreneurs.

Organizationally, Gaarden is part of Bornholm Museum, but it is based on a broad partnership including actors from agriculture, tourism, educational institutions and the municipality.

This project demonstrates that a strategic partnership based on food products can set a local agenda and create quality food products attracting tourists from afar. This contributes to the island’s business development.

Project details

Where: Melstedvej 25/25A, 3760 Gudhjem

Completed: 2015

Client: Bornholm Museum

Architects and advisors: entasis, Opland Arkitekter (landscape), rl consult (engineer)