SØMÆRKET is a new access point to Nature Park Lillebælt, a protected coastal landscape through which the Little Belt strait flows. Known for the world's highest density of harbour porpoises and a rich variety of flora and fauna, it attracts divers from across Europe. This new educational and experiential platform highlights the natural life and history of the Little Belt while connecting the cities of Middelfart, Kolding, and Fredericia.

“Communicating the wonders of life below water has never been more urgent than now. Therefore, we are so happy to have won the competition for a new educational and experiential platform for Nature Park Lillebælt, which will help us better understand marine life. Nature Park Lillebælt is Denmark’s largest Marine Nature Park, spanning several cities. Consequently, we have designed a floating house that relocates from city to city each year, allowing the entire nature park to benefit from it.” Says Tue Foged, Co-founder and Creative Director at EFFEKT Architects.

Designed by EFFEKT in collaboration with MAST, SØMÆRKET draws inspiration from historic seamarks—elaborate wooden structures used as navigation aids along Denmark's coasts in the late 19th century. It celebrates Danish maritime history while creating a new typology of floating educational platform and a national park icon.

The platform, moved by tugboat between three locations along Little Belt, provides school groups, tourists, and the public an opportunity to immerse themselves in the strait's stories and offers new access points for kayaking, swimming, diving, and fishing.

“The design of the experiential platform is inspired by our fine tradition of using beautiful wooden structures, such as the seamarks along Denmark's coasts. The house is an open wooden structure with multiple levels that visitors can explore. They can learn about life in Lillebælt, launch their kayaks, harvest a bit of seaweed, or dip their toes in the sea.” Explains Foged.

Stories of the Sea
Nature Park Lillebælt, connecting continental Jutland and the island of Funen, has a unique natural environment and history. SØMÆRKET tells this story through fossils, illustrations, and text scattered around the structure. It includes an enclosed laboratory space for experiments and storytelling. Below deck, an underwater room projects underwater footage on raw concrete walls.

The platform also offers direct experiences of the strait, with a kayak launch point, swimming platform, and an integrated seaweed and mussel farm.

A Beacon in the Blue
The floating platform connects future generations with the blue nature around us and serves as a floating landmark for the nature park. Its dramatic pyramidal structure stands 7 meters above the water, projecting from the harbours and acting as a visual beacon. The upper deck offers panoramic views, while a small 'crow's nest,' accessible via a short climb through a fishnet tunnel, provides braver visitors with an even more spectacular view.

The main deck, approximately 1.3 meters above sea level, is connected by a small bridge allowing level-free access from the quayside.

“To minimize the project's climate footprint, we are reusing an existing concrete barge and building the experiential platform on top of it with biogenic materials.” Says Foged.

The platform is constructed from hefty locally sourced Douglas fir beams and the reclaimed concrete barge has had many previous lives over the past 20 years including as the base of a floating house and a temporary pavilion for the UIA architecture festival. The barge was rescued from demolition for the project.

A Collaborative Endeavour
SØMÆRKET was designed by EFFEKT in collaboration with MAST, a maritime architecture studio, which specialises in the design and construction of floating buildings and coastal development.

The design was the winning entry in an invited competition initiated by the municipalities of Middelfart, Kolding and Fredericia. Construction of the platform will begin this summer and it is due to be launched in 2025.

Other project partners include NBC Marine and DAS BOOT. The barge has been donated to the project by the Henrik Frode Obel Foundation, hosts of the prestigious OBEL AWARD for architecture. The barge was previously showcased by The OBEL AWARD during the UIA congress in 2023 to make a statement about the problem of greenwashing in the construction industry. Now it will be transformed and given a new life with a long lasting purpose. The project is co-financed by the European Union, Denmark’s Business Promotion Board, the Danish Outdoor Council, and Nordea Fonden.