Tjuvholmen “Eitzen Group Headquarters”
Oslo, Norway
A former industrial area facing onto Oslo Fjord, the Tjuvholmen regeneration masterplan transformed the area into an up-beat and contemporary addition to Oslo city-centre, bringing with it a swathe of new offices, retail, residential hotel and gallery developments. Situated on the entrance to Tjuvholmen, the Eizen Group Headquarters plot called for a design which addresses both the city-centre and the regeneration itself, as well as exploiting its prominent position adjacent to the fjord.
Clad in white limestone, the building’s three facades are afforded a distinctly civic character, and are subtly varied according to their outlook. Facing onto Tjuvholmen Alle, the north-west façade features a regular rhythm of vertically accented windows punctuating the volume and providing a straightforward street-front. The north and east facing façades are more elaborate and feature a series of vertical limestone ‘fins’ expressed as distinct elements at right angles to – and protruding from – the curtain walling in which they are placed. As one approaches the building diagonally, its character appears to gradually shift from a dense, shimmering mass of limestone into a delicate and open composition in which interior spaces benefit from unhindered views out over the water.
The volume is further articulated by a series of projections and set-backs strategically amongst its seven storeys, while a largely glazed ground storey signals the building’s presence as a key contributor to the public realm.
More at: ArchDaily
