PROFILE SNØHETTA PROJECTS Thorsen on...


The Library of Alexandria Egypt (1989-2001)


Our goal was to create a library in Alexandria that would not ruin millions of people’s imaginations of the Ancient Library of Alexandria [dating back to the third century BC]. At the same time, we wanted to say something about the past, present and future – so the section below the horizon is the past; at the horizon is the present, and above the horizon is the future.


Väven Umeå, Sweden (2010-2014) The concept is in the name, which means ‘weave’ in Swedish – it’s a way of combining many cultural functions in a small city and weaving them together in a single building.


The Lillehammer Art Museum Lillehammer, Norway (1990-1994, extension 2013-) This was really our first constructed piece of architecture. It’s an interpretation of the hillsides of Lillehammer, compressed onto a specific site, and it functions a little like a musical instrument. The strings are hit by the musicians, who are the artists; the acoustic body of the museum strengthens the vibrations of the strings and turn them into music. We’re now working on an extension with the artist Bård Breivik.


CLAD mag 2015 ISSUE 2


The Norwegian National Ballet and Opera Oslo, Norway (2000-2008) We wanted to change the perception of an opera house from being something very elitist into something public and accessible. We did this by providing a huge, accessible roof, without any commercial activities on it, which was simply a free space – for tai chi on a summer morning, for outdoor concerts, or simply for taking a stroll.


CLADGLOBAL.COM 75


PHOTO: ©LILLEHAMMER MUSEUM


PHOTO: ©GERALD ZUGMANN


PHOTO: ©GERALD ZUGMANN


PHOTO: AKE E:SON LINDMAN


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132