Arup's 217-Metre Pilen Viewpoint Tracks Denmark's Fehmarnbelt Tunnel

Arup has completed Pilen, a 217-metre arrow-shaped viewpoint in Denmark, built to give the public views of the construction of the 18-kilometre Fehmarnbelt Tunnel between Rødbyhavn and Puttgarden in Germany.

The ramped structure's length is not arbitrary. It mirrors the size of each of the 89 individual concrete elements that will form the tunnel, which will be the longest of its kind anywhere in the world.

What does the name mean?

Pilen means "the arrow" in Danish. According to Arup, the design symbolises travel, evoking an arrow or compass needle, and it points toward the site where the tunnel emerges on the German side to orient visitors.

"The arrow-shaped design points towards the location where the Fehmarnbelt tunnel emerges on the German side, acting as a large compass needle for visitors," project architect Kristian Winther told Dezeen.

"At 217 metres long, the viewpoint also reflects the length of one of the tunnel elements," Winther continued.

The viewpoint is the latest effort by contractors Femern, which oversees the tunnel's construction, to open the construction site to the public and help people grasp the scale of the megaproject. "We hope the viewpoint will create a closer connection between the tunnel project, the local community, and visitors, giving people an opportunity to experience the scale of the project more directly," Winther said.

How is the structure built?

Pilen is built from landfill timber and steel and is designed to be demounted once the tunnel is complete. All the components, including the foundations, are engineered for easy reuse in other projects, "helping to give the materials a life beyond the viewpoint itself," according to Winther.

The main deck is formed from timber and landscaped with greenery and local vegetation. A fully accessible landscaped walkway zigzags through the planting as it rises 24 metres above sea level.

Arup chose the site for two reasons: its proximity to the tunnel portal, which maximises views of construction work, and the expansive views of the coastal landscape beyond.

When will the tunnel open?

The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel is an 18-kilometre road-and-rail tunnel being built underwater to improve links between continental Europe and Scandinavia. It is scheduled for completion in 2029.

The project is expected to reduce journey times between Hamburg and Copenhagen to 2.5 hours by train.

The tunnel works have already reshaped the surrounding landscape. A 300,000-square-metre land reclamation scheme in Denmark, created as part of the project, will be landscaped with ponds and planting.

Pilen joins a run of high-profile European viewpoints. These include the Titlis Tower in the Swiss Alps by Herzog & de Meuron and the Lech Mountain Mirror in the Austrian Alps by Snøhetta.

Once the tunnel opens in 2029, Pilen will be dismantled and its components redeployed — leaving the arrow pointing at a completed crossing rather than a construction site.