studioalaska+1 Stage 1 Portfolio

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1 3.3 Lead Designer Project Descriptions Three relevant projects by Stein Halvorsen AS are presented in the following pages. The following narrative describes these projects and their significance. The first two projects, The Sami Parliament Building in Karasjok, Norway, and the Regional Courthouse of Finnmark in Tana, Norway, were all executed after winning architect design competitions. The Oslo Opera House was Stein Halvorsen s competition submission which placed second out of 250 submissions. All three projects are relevant to the creation of the new State Capitol building in Alaska. They are all public buildings reflecting both the urban and rural setting in which they are sited. They also closely reflect Norwegian culture. These projects represent the archetypical monumental building of our time, as they express monumentality and dignity, as well as a reflection of an open democratic Scandinavian society. Balancing the stringent and monumental formalities against a modern Norwegian architectural form was the greatest challenge throughout the design of these projects. Particularly, in the case of the Regional Courthouse and the Oslo Opera House, there is a close association between the community, site, and building. Typical Nordic architecture is distinguished by its attention to the interrelationship between the site and building interiors, and likewise is a hallmark of Stein Halvorsen s work. The openness of the buildings to the exterior and landscape is also a means to explore the defused Nordic light. Large unobstructed planes, where light and shadow create architecture, are replaced by a highly developed ornamental quality acquired through the use of materials. Warm, natural, and tactile materials, such as wood and stone (slate), are refined and expressed in building construction, finishes, and detailing. Dark winters leave its mark on the human mind, and the lack of light half the year round has resulted in an architectural expression which opens up and maximizes what light there is. Further, the poetic expression of a building s function is critical to the creation of architecture. The relationship between these functional activities and the surrounding landscape, be it urban or natural, give Stein Halvorsen s buildings their distinct character. These three buildings are each in their distinct ways examples of this approach. The Sami Parliament Building and the Regional Courthouse in Tana are both arctic buildings sited at 71 degrees North, where the climatic and lighting conditions are extreme. In addition, both of these buildings are attributed to the Lap community, a community which has no tradition of monumentality or permanent buildings as the western culture would understand it. The Lap people and their society represent a tradition and culture where nature shapes their lives. Both projects are built of warm wooden materials. They open up towards the south and optimize the heat of the sun during spring and fall. The slanting walls collect the snow in winter, causing the buildings to almost disappear in the landscape. Given these characteristics, these buildings change expression from summer to winter. Ornamental expressions are found in these buildings constructive details, reflecting the aesthetic characteristics of this culture. The ornaments were developed as a result of the buildings construction and the application of traditional tools. There were no traditional methods of shelter making which were exempt from consideration or reference. The competition for a new opera house in Oslo, Norway, was an open international competition where 250 architects took part. The site is situated in the harbor basin in the center of Oslo and thus forms a threshold between the fjord and the town centre. The competition was the largest ever held with the largest single building to be built in Norway. For that reason, Stein Halvorsen developed a concept where the signifying effect was strong: the building should announce its dignity and relevance for the area. The rolling roof circumscribes a spacious interior thought of as a landscape room. The foyer is shaped into terraces on top of the various halls, or as landings for the stairs.

2 There are many possibilities to use this rich interior stretching along the edge of the fjord for diverse concerts and productions. The opera project calls for a high level of complexity and good logistics within its 35,000 square meters. Stein Halvorsen AS proposal received second prize.

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9 S t a g e 1 P o r t f o l i o Oslo Opera House, Norway S T E I N H A L V O R S E N A S s t u d i o A l a s k a + 1

10 S t a g e 1 P o r t f o l i o Oslo Opera House, Norway S T E I N H A L V O R S E N A S s t u d i o A l a s k a + 1