A Look at Oslo's Striking Architecture
Right now, Oslo is one of the most exciting places in the world to be an architect. The city’s transformation started within this past decade – with iconic buildings like the National Opera and the Astrup Fearnley Museum really setting the tone – and continues tirelessly, as many of Oslo’s key museums and state buildings are undergoing a complete makeover. This is what you need to know about the ever-changing urban landscape of the Norwegian capital.
The Barcode Project
Twelve buildings, each designed by different architectural firms, all built at different heights and widths. The Barcode Project in Bjørvika plays with the rules of geometry and perception, while at the same time working well with the surroundings and managing to remain light and airy. When seen from afar, the twelve buildings together resemble, of course, a barcode. However, when you’re near them, they’re just an organic part of the city with houses, offices, a daycare center, restaurants and shops.
The Barcode Project, Dronning Eufemias Gate, Oslo, Norway
Neighborhood makeover: Vulkan, Tjuvholmen and Sørenga
Apart from the Barcode (which is now often called “the city’s new skyline”), there are several neighborhoods that have undergone an impressive transformation over the last couple of years. Vulkan, on the west side of the Akerselva River, is a textbook example of turning a forgotten area of the city into a new hotspot – and the opening of the Mathallen Food Hall certainly helped on that front. This neighborhood is defined by eco-friendly architecture, with sustainable features such as geothermal wells, a solar water-heating system and more. Right by the Oslo fjord, Tjuvholmen is almost like a blueprint of what today’s architecture can be: cheeky (humorous outdoor sculptures), elaborate (at least 20 different architects have worked on parts of it) and with the mandatory involvement of Renzo Piano (who created the Astrup Fearnley Museum). As for Sørenga, formerly an old container dock, it now has a beautiful, green park and a seawater pool, becoming a go-to spot for locals.
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Akrobaten Bridge
Bridge
The Statoil building
Building
The new and improved Oslo Airport
Train Station
The new Munch Museum
The Munch Museum is currently located in Grünerløkka, but that won’t be the case for long. In 2018 it will relocate downtown, next to the Opera House, at a brand-new, L-shaped building that will provide enough space for all the works of the genius Norwegian painter to be displayed properly. It’s scheduled to open in 2020.
The new Deichman Library
Library
The new Norwegian government HQ
The Norwegian government headquarters was damaged during a fatal terrorist attack six years ago – and now it’s time to rebuild. The winning design by the Nordic Office of Architecture and Haptic Architects communicates the Norwegian ideals of transparency, inclusivity and democracy: seven building blocks surrounded by parks, squares, cafés and a visitor center, with restricted vehicle access but open to pedestrians and cyclists, to make this a place citizens would enjoy visiting.
The new Viking Museum
Museum
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
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I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
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