Naturkraft, the world’s first sustainability theme park dedicated to the powers of nature, has opened in Denmark.

The nature-focused theme park, set on 50 hectares of former seabed right next to the city of Ringkøbing in West Jutland, invites people to experience and learn about nature.

Naturkraft, which has been described as an “exploratorium and nature arena”, seeks to instil in its visitors a greater awareness and appreciation of the powers of nature – and encourage sustainable living.

The theme park, whose name directly translates to “nature power”, has been developed to showcase the fundamental importance of nature for humans.

Naturkraft is located close to some of Denmark’s most scenic sandy beaches by the windswept west coast. Surrounded by a 628-metre earthen mound, the theme park will include a 5,500m2 central exhibition complex consisting of an underground venue and three large geodesic domes. The hands-on, minds-on experiences and activities in the park will include a forest garden, a solar maze and ziplines.

At the heart of Naturkraft is a new form of human-made ecosystem spanning five hectares. The nature arena encourages and challenges visitors to experience the power of nature through physical play, enlightening learning activities and intuitive understanding of the interaction between humans and nature. Eight specially designed nature typologies such as the Sand Dune, the Heathland, the Marsh and the Carbon Forest have been combined into the human-made ecosystem in Naturkraft. 

The new theme park was designed by the Copenhagen-based architectural lab, SLA. Stig L. Andersson, Design Director and Founding Partner of SLA, said: “We create a multiverse of new nature based on a comprehensive knowledge on the processes of nature, the cultural history and the unique geodiversity of the local area, growth conditions and biological diversity.

“Based on this knowledge, we have created a condensed and hypersensuous juxtaposition of local nature typologies, all of which show nature as the foundation of our lives and societies: as raw material and production material and as a foundation for meaning and quality of life in the anthropocene age.”

Naturkraft

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyle including sustainable and green living.