Snøhetta - National Opera

Snøhetta
National Opera
Oslo, Norway

On June 22, 2000 the architecture practice of Snøhetta received 1st Prize in the anonymous, open international architectural competition for the New National Opera House in Oslo, Norway.
The competition included 230 accepted entries from around the world. The entries consisted primarily of Norwegian and European practices but included the Americas, Asia and practices as distant as Australia, South Africa and Greenland.

Image courtesy Snøhetta

Snøhetta's winning design has been characterized by the jury as: "a poetic and concrete response to a demanding assignment The design takes from the city and gives back to the city; it directs, but is nevertheless subservient and puts people and the magic and power of the Opera House at the center of the place. It creates an unexpected dynamic both externally and internally to the benefit of lovers of opera and ballet, the city of Oslo and the international community."

Snøhetta has described the project in the following thoughts:
Connecting land and sea, a public platform rises from the fjord.
A sculpted landscape veils a direct functional solution.
Landmark quality is obtained through a memorable yet discreet silhouette.
The platform meets the water, renewing coastal conditions in the city center.
Elements of earth, fire, air and water capture distinct spaces.
Soft versus hard describe indoors from out.

Image courtesy Snøhetta

A sloping roof surface rises directly from beneath the fjord. It is designed with fractures, stairs, the stage roof surfaces and the stage towers as defining features to the vast platform that can be traversed from the sea to the uppermost levels by the visitor. Together with the vertical movement, the diagonal lines create a convincing composition that, at the same time, is humble, adapted to the scale of the city, distinctive and unique in the city landscape. It forms an extension of the landscape surrounding the city and is not clearly distinguishable as either building or ground.
As Italo Calvino has noted in his book, Invisible Cities, there is a world that we live in that is not inhabited physically but is instead a life of our imagination. It is not necessarily a separate world. Our cities have physical forms and they also have forms and use only found in our imaginary understanding of the cities we live in. The Opera is a part of this city, the imaginary city. Although we do not use the Opera regularly, it is important that we know that it is there. We first use it in our minds, and then hopefully we will also use it with our bodies. This design for a new Opera in Oslo functions both in memory and in its physical relation to the city and the visitor.

Image courtesy Snøhetta

Snøhetta is an international group of architects, landscape architects and interior designers located in Oslo, Norway. They are mostly known for their winning competition entry for the revival of the ancient library of Alexandria in Egypt; won in 1989 and now being completed with an opening scheduled in 2001.
Other projects have been published extensively including the Lillehammer Winter Olympics Art Gallery in 1994, the Karmøy Fishing Museum in 1998, and the Norwegian Embassy in Berlin in 1999.
They have had increasing success in recent international competitions, both open and invited. These include 2nd Place for the Kansai-kan National Diet Library in 1996, 2nd Place for the Saudi Arabian National Library in 1999, 3rd Place for the World Intellectual Property Headquarters in Geneva, and 1st Place for the INMED Brain Research Center in Marseilles.
Recent Norwegian projects include the Hamar Town Hall and the new Zumtobel Staff Showroom.

Snøhetta
Christian Kroghsgata 32-B
0186 Oslo
Norway

Snøhetta AS.
Principals:
C.Dykers, C.Kapeller, K.Thorsen
Architects:
Craig Dykers
Tarald Lundevall
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen
Project Architects:
Martin Dietrichson
Ibrahim El Hayawan
Chandani Ratnawira
Harriet Rikheim,
Marianne Sætre
Landscape Architects:
Snöhetta
Ragnhild Momrak, MNLA
Advisors:
Fine Arts:
Inger Buresund (Director, Black Box Theatre)
Axel Helstenius (author)
Henrik Helstenius (composer),
Peder Istad (artist)
Jorunn Sannes (artist),
Theatre Consultants:
Theatre Projects Consultants Ltd.
London UK
David Staples
Mark Stroomer

June 25, 2000

Snöhetta arcspace features





				Features
		Snøhetta National Opera Oslo, Norway On June 22, 2000 the architecture practice of Snøhetta received 1st Prize in the anonymous, open international architectural competition for the New National Opera House in Oslo, Norway. The competition included 230 accepted entries from around the world. The entries consisted primarily of Norwegian and European practices but included the Americas, Asia and practices as distant as Australia, South Africa and Greenland. Image courtesy Snøhetta Snøhetta's winning design has been characterized by the jury as: "a poetic and concrete response to a demanding assignment The design takes from the city and gives back to the city; it directs, but is nevertheless subservient and puts people and the magic and power of the Opera House at the center of the place. It creates an unexpected dynamic both externally and internally to the benefit of lovers of opera and ballet, the city of Oslo and the international community." Snøhetta has described the project in the following thoughts: Connecting land and sea, a public platform rises from the fjord. A sculpted landscape veils a direct functional solution. Landmark quality is obtained through a memorable yet discreet silhouette. The platform meets the water, renewing coastal conditions in the city center. Elements of earth, fire, air and water capture distinct spaces. Soft versus hard describe indoors from out. Image courtesy Snøhetta A sloping roof surface rises directly from beneath the fjord. It is designed with fractures, stairs, the stage roof surfaces and the stage towers as defining features to the vast platform that can be traversed from the sea to the uppermost levels by the visitor. Together with the vertical movement, the diagonal lines create a convincing composition that, at the same time, is humble, adapted to the scale of the city, distinctive and unique in the city landscape. It forms an extension of the landscape surrounding the city and is not clearly distinguishable as either building or ground. As Italo Calvino has noted in his book, Invisible Cities, there is a world that we live in that is not inhabited physically but is instead a life of our imagination. It is not necessarily a separate world. Our cities have physical forms and they also have forms and use only found in our imaginary understanding of the cities we live in. The Opera is a part of this city, the imaginary city. Although we do not use the Opera regularly, it is important that we know that it is there. We first use it in our minds, and then hopefully we will also use it with our bodies. This design for a new Opera in Oslo functions both in memory and in its physical relation to the city and the visitor. Image courtesy Snøhetta Snøhetta is an international group of architects, landscape architects and interior designers located in Oslo, Norway. They are mostly known for their winning competition entry for the revival of the ancient library of Alexandria in Egypt; won in 1989 and now being completed with an opening scheduled in 2001. Other projects have been published extensively including the Lillehammer Winter Olympics Art Gallery in 1994, the Karmøy Fishing Museum in 1998, and the Norwegian Embassy in Berlin in 1999. They have had increasing success in recent international competitions, both open and invited. These include 2nd Place for the Kansai-kan National Diet Library in 1996, 2nd Place for the Saudi Arabian National Library in 1999, 3rd Place for the World Intellectual Property Headquarters in Geneva, and 1st Place for the INMED Brain Research Center in Marseilles. Recent Norwegian projects include the Hamar Town Hall and the new Zumtobel Staff Showroom. Snøhetta Christian Kroghsgata 32-B 0186 Oslo Norway Snøhetta AS. Principals: C.Dykers, C.Kapeller, K.Thorsen Architects: Craig Dykers Tarald Lundevall Kjetil Trædal Thorsen Project Architects: Martin Dietrichson Ibrahim El Hayawan Chandani Ratnawira Harriet Rikheim, Marianne Sætre Landscape Architects: Snöhetta Ragnhild Momrak, MNLA Advisors: Fine Arts: Inger Buresund (Director, Black Box Theatre) Axel Helstenius (author) Henrik Helstenius (composer), Peder Istad (artist) Jorunn Sannes (artist), Theatre Consultants: Theatre Projects Consultants Ltd. London UK David Staples Mark Stroomer June 25, 2000 Snöhetta arcspace features