Top 10 offbeat Norwegian architecture

“Mr Architecture” Hans Petter Smeby is the brain behind Norway’s streetwise architecture and design magazine Nytt rom. Here are his personal tips for exciting architecture off the beaten track.

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Hans Petter Smeby.
Photo: Hans Petter Smeby

Despite the success of his anti-mainstream concept he still insists on a hands-on approach to everything from location scouting to magazine production. Which is why Smeby is especially suited to be our guide through ten of Norway’s grooviest architectural hot spots.

Utsikten viewpoint, Gaularfjellet

Architect: Code Arkitektur, 2016

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Karmøy Fishery Museum, Rogaland

Architect: Snøhetta, 1998

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Eggum, Lofoten

Architect: Snøhetta, 2007

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Hans Petter Smeby.
Photo: Hans Petter Smeby

Architect Hans Petter Smeby is the editor and publisher of the magazine Nytt Rom

Norwegian architecture

Oslo is rapidly growing into an exciting, international metropolis, whilst in the countryside, prestigious projects seem to grow out of nature itself.

Extensive use of plain wood and stone are common traits of many new houses, cabins, and public buildings across Norway, showcasing sleek, simple shapes that nevertheless bring to mind mountains and glaciers.

Along the Norwegian Scenic Routes, several notable buildings and landscape designs enhance the experience of the surrounding nature, with rest areas and viewpoints that are works of art in their own right.

Find out more

Read about Norwegian architecture
Read about Oslo’s funky new landmarks
Read about the Norwegian Scenic Routes
Read about Norwegian stave churces

Tverrfjellhytta, Dovre

Architect: Snøhetta, 2011

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Stokkøya Sjøsenter, Stokkvika, Trøndelag

Architect: Pir 2, 2003

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The Petter Dass Museum, Alstahaug

Architect: Snøhetta, 2007

The fearless life and work of poet and priest Petter Dass (1647–1707) is the theme of this museum near Sandnessjøen on the Helgeland Coast. The new part, which has a transparent first level, is integrated into the landscape by its situation in a purposely constructed mountain shaft. The museum site also consists of two historic buildings: the medieval Alstahaug church and the old vicarage.

Trollveggen Visitor Centre, Møre og Romsdal

Architect: Reiulf Ramstad, 2012

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Vulkan, Oslo

Architect: LPO, 2012

Vulkan is a former industrial site by the Akerselva river that has been transformed into a new city district with loads of flair and charm. The heart of Vulkan is Oslo’s food hall Mathallen which lies next to Norway’s national stage for dance. In the surrounding streets, you’ll find the one-star Michelin restaurant Kontrast, stand-alone shops, galleries, and other businesses which are not found elsewhere.

Storhamarlåven, Hamar

Architect: Sverre Fehn, 1974

The history of the Storhamar barn goes back to the 16th century. For nearly 500 years it has been in almost continuous use for farming purposes. In 1962, architect Sverre Fehn showed proposals for converting the site into a museum using contrasting materials like glass and concrete to enhance the historical parts of the site.

The National Museum – Architecture, Oslo

Architects: Christian H. Grosch and Sverre Fehn,
1830–2002

The main building of The National Museum – Architecture is a juxtaposition of classicism and modernist architecture – an encounter between Christian Heinrich Grosch (1801–1865) and Sverre Fehn (1924–2009), Norway’s most important architects of the 19th and 20th centuries respectively.

Plan your route

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Smeby's tips

Restroom at Eggum, Norwegian Scenic Route Lofoten, Northern Norway

Eggum in Lofoten

The fishing village of Eggum lies on the seaward side of Vestvågøy island, alone between the ocean and the mountains. Read more

Eggum in Lofoten

Petter Dass museum

The Petter Dass-museum at Alstahaug is The County of Nordland´s millennium site. The museum is dedicated to the heritage of the priest and poet Petter… Read more

Petter Dass museum

Stokkøya Sjøsenter

Stokkøya Sjøsenter and The Beach Bar is situated near one of Norways finest beaches, and has both excellent food, comfortable accommodation and… Read more

Stokkøya Sjøsenter

Trollveggen visitor center

Trollveggen Visitor Centre is located under Trollveggen , Europe's highest vertical mountain wall. The top shoots stretching nearly 1,800 feet into… Read more

Trollveggen visitor center

viewpoint SNØHETTA

Is an architectural viewing pavilion overlooking Tverrfjellet mountain at Hjerkinn. The building was designed by Snøhetta architects and opened in… Read more

viewpoint SNØHETTA

Many people on Utsikten viewpoint on Norwegian Scenic Route Gaularfjellet, Fjord Norway

Utsikten at Gaularfjellet

Ustikten is not your average rest stop. The futuristic concrete flake in the middle of the mountains is winning awards. Read more

Utsikten at Gaularfjellet

The barn Storhamarlåven in Hamar, Eastern Norway

Storhamarlåven at Domkirkeodden

Domkirkeodden by Mjøsa comprises over 60 antique buildings from the Hedmark villages. Permanent exhibitions are available in Storhamarlåven from the… Read more

Storhamarlåven at Domkirkeodden

Vulkan

At the once industry-heavy bank of the river Akerselva, one of Oslo’s most interesting new city development projects, called Vulkan, has come to… Read more

Vulkan

National Museum - Architecture

Museum of architecture that explores contemporary and historical themes through drawings, photographs and models. The main building, designed by… Read more

National Museum - Architecture

Karmøy Fishery Museum

Karmøy Fishery Museum is located on the mid-west side of Karmøy, the museum displays the modern era of the region’s fishing… Read more

Karmøy Fishery Museum

Highlights for architecture lovers

Architect Espen Surnevik’s tips for architectural masterpieces are located in places that also offer many leisure activities.

Oslo City Hall

Inaugurated in 1950, Oslo City Hall is the city's administrative body and the seat of the City Council. The building has been decorated by great… Read more

Oslo City Hall

Bjerkebæk - Sigrid Undset's home

Welcome to the home of Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset (1882–1949), one of Norway's great female writers. Her home is a short walk from downtown… Read more

Bjerkebæk - Sigrid Undset's home

Våler church in Hedmark

New Våler church was inaugurated in May 2015 and it is the largest wooden church in Europe. This is a remarkable building, which has won a… Read more

Våler church in Hedmark

Sohlbergplassen viewpoint

The platform frames the view towards the lake and the rounded peaks of the Rondane massif almost exactly as they appear in Harald Sohlberg’s famous…

Sohlbergplassen viewpoint

Aukrustsenteret

The Aukrust Center lies in the little town of Alvdal in one of Norway's many beautiful valleys. Its a museum built to house the life work of… Read more

Aukrustsenteret

Juvet landskapshotell

Instead of a conventional hotel with guest rooms stacked together in one large building, the idea was to distribute the rooms throughout the site in…

Juvet landskapshotell

Norwegian Glacier Museum

The Norwegian Glacier Museum is an award-winning hands-on museum, situated in Fjærland at the head of the Fjærlandsfjord. Read more

Norwegian Glacier Museum

Urnes Stave Church

Urnes Stave Church , the oldest of Norway's stave churches, is included on UNESCO's World Heritage List. It was built around 1130 AD, but the… Read more

Urnes Stave Church

Bryggen in Bergen

Bryggen is one of Bergen's and Norway's main attractions. Bryggen was built after the great fire in 1702 and is included on UNESCO's World Heritage… Read more

Bryggen in Bergen

Vemork museum

At the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum at Vemork you can see the unique exhibition about WWII as well as the industrialization of Rjukan. Read more

Vemork museum

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