Why a tiny Danish town is building the tallest tower in Western Europe

The skyscraper is being built by Denmark's richest man

Bestseller Tower designed by architect Dorte Mandrup (Credit: Dorte Mandrup)
Bestseller Tower designed by architect Dorte Mandrup (Credit: Dorte Mandrup)

The tallest building in Western Europe may rise in a location few would have guessed: a rural village in Denmark.

The 1,050-foot-tall building would be visible for up to 37 miles in every direction from Brande, Denmark, population 7,000.

However, Brande has a significant footprint in the fashion world despite its petite size. The town is the headquarters of Bestseller, a company that produces low-price apparel, and it’s also the home of Bestseller’s founder Anders Holch Povlsen, the wealthiest man in Denmark.

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The planned skyscraper has been dubbed Bestseller Tower and will house office space for the fashion company, plus a hotel and conference facilities. The development will also include ground-floor retail space where Bestseller is expected to display its apparel brands.

Danish architecture firm Dorte Mandrup designed the tower with a grid-style façade which bears a resemblance to Manhattan’s infamous 432 Park Avenue.

In March, Brande’s town council approved the skyscraper’s development, which was first announced in 2017. Construction is expected to start this year and conclude in 2023. [Architect’s Newspaper] – Mike Seemuth