Skateboarding was banned in Norway on 1 September 1978, with the intention of preventing serious accidents. This did not discourage the skateboarders, and the skateboarding scene grew steadily. When the ban was lifted in 1989 the interest exploded. Skateboarders went from being lawbreakers to celebrities and youth idols. In January 2017, 28 years after the ban was lifted, Oslo finally got its own custom-built venue for the today a well-established sport. Oslo Skatehall stands now as the best custom-designed skatepark, and one of the largest of its kind in northern Europe.
Student housing often drown in mediocrity, with simple units stacked on top of each other in the cheapest way possible and left to themselves without support programs. The Moholt 50|50 project is a reaction to this. By inserting new housing collectives and a wide range of support services and public programs into an existing student village built in the sixties, a new active central area is created, erasing the psychological border between the student village and the surrounding area.
Twenty two years after completing the first expansion to the Lillehammer Art Museum, Snøhetta is honored to expand the project yet again, creating a holistic expression for both the art museum and the adjacent cinema. Integration of art plays a central role in all aspects of the project, from the landscape to the program to the buildings themselves.
Snøhetta’s prize-winning design was characterized by the jury as having strongly identifiable themes that tie the building to its culture and place while also presenting an unusual and unique expression that was in many ways new and innovative.
The project developed a highly complex program into a simple general plan that integrated both a practical and intuitive sculptural approach to modeling the exterior form. Its low slung form became a link within the city rather than a divisive sculptural expression. Its accessible roof and broad, open public lobbies make the building a social monument rather than a sculptural one. The building is as much landscape as architecture and thus fosters public awareness and engagement with the arts. Generous windows at street level provide the public a glimpse of the scenery workshop activities. The building still finds an audience with public who are not opera, ballet or orchestra fans. The cafes and gift shop, with their access to the waterfront are destinations which offer opportunities to generate revenue for the institution while providing a general public amenity. Care was taken with the design of these components so that they are seamlessly integrated into the overall character of the building’s bold design.
The project is sited in an urban block that remains a rare example of the intimate blend of housing and small-scale industry typical of the nineteenth century. The new structure was designed with special appreciation of these environs. The apartments have differing housing typologies of simplex and duplex units, and they benefit from a study of the interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces. The building’s design is characterized by a distinct architectonic form with functional solutions, thoughtful details, and contemporary overall expression.
This project for a summer retreat is an addition to, and rehabilitation of an old “Nordlandshus” (traditional northern Norwegian house) on a remote site in the coastal island area of Lofoten. The original idea was to encapsulate the old and worn-down timber core within a new climatic shell, leaving the old house standing freely and structurally unstressed inside, with the traditional timber constructions exposed. The added construction followed its own grid module, which – apart from a number of technical advantages – gave an interesting “syncopation” of window openings between the old and new structures.
Situated at 982 meters above sea level, this cabin has harsh winter conditions and heavy snowfall. The site has a panoramic view overlooking the valley of Geilo. During winter the cabin is only accessible with ski or snowmobile.
The new vocational high school at Voss (Norway) designed by Nordic — Office of Architecture and AART architects combines theory and practice in an inspiring learning environment bathed in light with spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.
The new vocational high school at Voss opened this autumn and caters for around 400 students and 100 staff. The Norwegian-Danish team behind several prominent education buildings in Scandinavia took inspiration from the surrounding environment, creating an interpretation of the traditional Norwegian barn common to the area. A composition of “barns” surrounding a series of “farmyards” provides the framework for various educational and social activities. The architects strive to stimulate the students by drawing nature and daylight into the school buildings through the generous glazing and timber cladding both inside and out.
The cottage holds a special place in contemporary Norwegian culture. A few generations back the majority of the Norwegian people made a living from farming, fishing or lumbering, trades which afforded closeness with nature. In the contemporary and urbanized way of life the cottage is a means maintaining this closeness. This particular cottage is modestly sized with its 60 square meters, and thus a sustainable structure both in terms of material usage and energy consumption. The building sits amidst marshland, sea-adjacent rock and scattered pine- and juniper-vegetation. An important consideration in the project was to avoid interfering with this sensitive surrounding terrain. It heals slowly due to climatic factors. The cottage lies 21 meters above sea level, and the distance to the sea front is 100 meters. Some marsh had to be cleared in preparing for the building phase, exposing bedrock and thus aiding in integrating the cottage with the terrain. The structure rests on a concrete base, and the main building is a studwork house with beamed ceilings. The main building sits on three different levels. This lowers its height and emphasizes a connection between the interior of the cottage and the outside areas. The access point is on the western side of the lot, slightly lower than the cottage itself. Visual impact depends markedly on perspective. From the west the cottage appears rather tall, while from the east it looks lower and more adapted. Entry to the main building is situated next to the outhouse, and a shared gallery roof keeps it sheltered from rain and wind. The clients did most of the construction work themselves. This level of client participation is rare, and we were delighted to see the level of personal commitment put into the details. The exterior of the building is clad in spruce harvested from the clientÕs own forest. This untreated material fades rapidly, attaining a light and silvery shimmering hue. The outside detail is kept to a minimum to ensure an even patina for the walls.
Nordic — Office of Architecture was approached by the Vatnan family to deliver their dream home. They had a simple architectural vision, but a demanding site on which it was to be realised.
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