Top 10 offbeat Norwegian architecture

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.