Norwegian architects have been recognized in recent years for their innovative projects both at home and abroad. There is no shortage of interesting buildings to see in Norway if you’re interested in modern architecture (the new Oslo opera probably being the most famous of them all), but there are some little gems to be found in Østfold too. Here are a few of them:
- Svinesund Bridge: Opened in 2005, the bridge crosses the Iddefjord at the border between Norway and Sweden on the E6. Built in concrete and steel, the bridge is 30m at its highest point, and spans a single arch of 247m. Some 16,000 cars cross the bridge every day.
- Østfold University College, Remmen, Halden: Also completed in 2005, the college cost 670 million Norwegian crowns and took two years to build. The entry hall of the main building, named after famous local explorer Roald Amundsen is quite striking, sticking out over the campus car park. It houses the rector and director’s offices. Glass, concrete and wood were the main materials used.
- F-b building, Fredrikstad: The local newspaper’s head offices, on the corner of Stortorvet, boast a striking facade in Chinese granite, glass and aluminium, and a sun-screening system with glass plates that automatically adjusts according to the weather and wind.
- Møllebyen, Moss: Møllebyen (The Mill Town), a former industrial area with water mills. Møllebyen received the Statens byggeskikkpris (one of the most highly regarded architectural prizes in Norway) i 2003 for its work revitalising and renewing the historical district. Today it is home to the local library, a cinema, a micro brewery, a museum and a lot more. www.mollebyen.no
- Kvernhuset School, Veum, Fredrikstad: Blending in with the pine forest that surrounds it, this environment-friendly school was presented at the International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale in 2000. It also won the ØkoByggs Miljøpris (Norway’s Environmental Building prize) the same year.