Behind the original building of the museum, an early 19th century mansion owned by the collection's founder, collector Wilhelm Hansen, is a streamlined black concrete volume. The new wing houses a glazed vestibule, common to new and old halls, as well as 1150 sq. m of usable area, which was required in the assignment of the architectural competition held in 2001. Of these, 500 sq. m are occupied by galleries for temporary exhibitions and permanent exhibitions, 220 sq. m - a cafe and a multifunctional hall, the rest - by corridors and a foyer.
The source of inspiration for the architect was the main theme of 19th century Danish painting - lighting effects in the landscape and in the interior.
The collection of the museum is exhibited in semi-underground rooms, the walls of which are painted in gray - so Hadid fulfilled the requirement of customers who wanted to protect the paintings from the harmful effects of sunlight. It is also an expression of the motif of darkness, which is latently present even in the most optimistic canvases of the collection. The only light source in these rooms is the frosted glazing of the roof.
The West Hall also acts as a connecting corridor with the second floor of the old building, and this passage is not visually marked on purpose.
The multifunctional hall and cafe are located in rooms with solid glazing: an attempt to merge the building with the picturesque landscape of the surrounding park is especially vividly demonstrated there.
