The golden studded building exsits as the front-man in a larger 11,000m2 masterplan, ROCKmagneten, which looks to transform the existing cement factories on the site into a district for rock music and youth culture whilst adding three new buildings, the completed Ragnarock, a new Danish højskole and the headquarters for the Roskilde Rock Festival.

Designed for the Danmarks Rockmuseum, Ragnarock aims to touch the existing site as lightly as possible with the intention to preserve the raw and informal character of the site which has been, and still is, used by skaters and artists alike. The new structure plugs into the factories, standing on four legs that take visitors up into the museum and auditorium above. A clear divide, identified by a separation in materials, distinguishes the old and the new; raw concrete in contrast with vivid red studs. The combination of materials radiate a rock-like atmosphere; from the golden anodised aluminium studded façade which pays homage to lead singers throughout rock history, to the vivid red interior, reminiscent of a guitar case’s soft velvet inside. 

The social intentions of the scheme open up new possibilities for music creativity by providing an inclusive environment with constant connections between education, leisure and performance. The buildings themselves, led by Ragnarock, inspire but also leave room within the scheme, such as outdoor plazas, to breed creativity through a social and informal platform.

Ragnarock stands out in its environment as a catalyst for future development. Architecture editor Karsten Ifversen described the museum, in the Danish newspaper Politiken, as a modern day cathedral, “This is how cathedrals were built in the past; in unknown areas. You built them in the middle of nowhere and then the city emerged around them.” Ragnarock is the first band member in the masterplan for the creative suburb ‘Musicon’ that will include the Rock Højskole, a regenerated concrete factory hall marked by a hovering volume; and the Roskilde Festival housing, a dynamic environment accommodating the future students and teachers of the højskole. The masterplan was developed in collaboration with COBE Architects.