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NORWAY

THE NORWEGIAN NATIONAL
OPERA & BALLET

July 2018 • Canon 60D camera


Den Norske Opera & Ballett

Kirsten Flagstads pl. 1
N-0150 Oslo

OOn a hot sunny afternoon, I visited the Oslo Opera House (The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet). Designed by architectural firm Snøhetta, this striking building sits nicely at Oslo's once-industrial waterfront Bjørvika area. The broad, open walkway leads you up to the marble roof for you to get a 360 of Oslo. It felt like a giant wave floating you up from the waterfront. Clear blue skies today so I could see far into the distance.

The aluminium cladding on the walls outside had punched and concave circle patterns which gave it a look of braille. The walls were designed by local artists Astrid Løvaas and Kirsten Wagle. The white marble floor also had sculpted geometric patterns with some areas raised up. The marble roof is designed by the artists Kristian Blystad, Kalle Grude and Jorunn Sannes


Did you know...

The Oslo Opera House was awarded the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture in 2009





Interior

The foyer is bright and minimal inside, thanks to the large windows. The entrance to the bathrooms from the coat room, has perforated cladding designed by the artist Olafur Eliasson.

He also help design the Harpa concert hall in Reykjavík, when I visited in July 2017. The diamond-like scales on the wall has a soft light behind that changes colour.


Main Hall

The main hall is made of light oak. The 'Wave Wall', is made from strips of golden oak that curves and flows around the foyer area and into the walls of the main hall.

The oak has been treated with amonia to give a dark tone. It is at the heart of the building and the material fits perfectly against with the glass and marble elsewhere.









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