architecture design - Norway

architecture1PHOTO BY SPACE GROUP23by thomas aastadnorwegian architects: building the futureNorwegian architecture is hitting newhighs with numerous iconic buildingsbeing built across the country by bothnew and more established firms.One of the more recognized Norwegiannames in the world of architecture is Snøhetta,whose credits include the library inAlexandria, Egypt, and the planned WTCCultural Centre in New York. In the UK thefirm has received widespread acclaim for the2007 Serpentine Pavilion in London’s HydePark, which was designed by the firm’s cofounderKjetil Thorsen.In Norway, Snøhetta designed the newNational Opera House (pages 2-3) whichjust opened in Oslo. The firm also just completedthe Petter Dass Museum in northernNorway. Dass is one of Norway’s mostbeloved poets, and the museum is built atAlstahaug, where he was the vicar from 1689until his death in 1707. The historical importanceof the surroundings made the task ofdetermining a site and designing a new buildingsensitive and challenging. Snøhetta createda new site by cutting into the landscape. Thecut allowed a freestanding building, which involume balances the mass removed. This boldsolution creates a fresh but respectful relationshipto the historical site and allows anexpressive architecture. The museum contributesto visualizing the historical span fromthe origin of the church to present time.8Norway’s second largest city, Bergen, isalso being treated to an iconic building bySnøhetta. The National Academy of Arts,due to be completed June 1, 2009, is built onthe shore of a lake surrounded by three mountains.The new academy building will look outover the lake and the distant city skyline.In its new location, the academy will helpgenerate urban development along the lake,and become an important symbol of the culturallife of Bergen. Preserving the existingtrees and buildings has been an importantaspect of the project. Parts of the existingindustrial buildings on site will be used as elementsof reference, mature trees will be integratedinto the large entrance plaza and theold stone wall facing the road on the east sideof the site is to be kept as it stands today.The firm Brendeland & Kristoffersen wasestablished in 2002 by young architectsGeir Brendeland and Olav Kristoffersen,both educated in Norway. Their practice haswon numerous awards and commissions,including social housing in Trondheim andnew houses on the Arctic island of Svalbard.Their housing project for young people inSvartlamoen, Trondheim, has received interestfrom around the world and propelled thefirm into the international spotlight. In 2007the project was short-listed among the 40 bestarchitectural works in Europe from 2005-92007, for the Mies van der Rohe Award (EUprize for contemporary architecture). InAugust 2007, the office was selected for theinternational architects’ panel that is going todesign the Athletes’ Village for the 2012Olympic Games in London.Tommie Wilhelmsen, another young architectmaking an impact, is based in Stavanger.He wants his buildings to challenge people’spreconceptions of what a house is and shouldbe. Elements such as wind, landscape, terrain,sun, light, and climate are crucial in all hisprojects. “Each house is a unique projectwhich is designed for only one particularplace on this earth,” Wilhelmsen said.Wilhelmsen is best known for theAurland Lookout (pages 9 & 14), which is a50/50 collaboration with Canadian architectTodd Saunders from Bergen-based firmSaunders Architecture. The Aurland Lookoutis a seamless curve of locally harvested timberthat sprouts out 98 feet from the road, beforecascading into a fjord. The naked eye canhardly register the wall of glass that protectssightseers from the edge of this amazingstructure, which has become a landmark inNorway since its recent completion.Another Stavanger-based firm shapingthe future look of Norway is Helen &Hard, which was founded in 1996 bySiv Helene Stangeland and Reinhard Kropf.PHOTO BY INGE OVE TYSNES2 34 | news of norway | summer 2008