aNNo Architecten has converted a WWI bunker into an exhibition space located in the hilly dunes of Ostend, Belgium.

The combination of deeply scarred concrete and old bricks preserved from WWI and new brick walls and stairs give it its exceptional architectural flair and universal appeal.

Today the bunker is part of a unique exhibition showing the daily life of German soldiers along the Belgian coast. A life characterised by the contrast between short moments of tension versus long periods of routine.

Their story is told through a symbiosis of digital-media scenography and the experience of the raw, historic architecture.

This project has been longlisted in the small building category of Dezeen Awards 2020.

Architect: aNNo Architecten
Project: WWI exhibition bunker