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Architects: Snøhetta
- Area: 16000 m²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Sebastian S. Bjerkvik/Snøhetta
Text description provided by the architects. Spanning many years, the collaboration between Holmøy Maritime and Snøhetta includes the design of the company's administration premises and several industrial buildings constructed in the period between 2014-2021. The new facility is located on the neighboring site at Liland outside Sortland in Northern Norway, and is characterized by transparency – both with large windows and natural light into the production halls, but also between the visitor and the production line at the facility. Seawater is used to heat and cool the building, in combination with a heat exchanger and heat pump. Filtered seawater is also used in production, and several kilometers of seawater pipelines have been laid in the fjord just outside the plant.
"In Snøhetta, we have many different types of projects, and industrial buildings are a growing category. Developing modern, beautiful and sustainable production facilities is a task that has had little focus. It is both educational and rewarding to us to create good and inclusive workplaces for local businesses that will grow and contribute to the stimulation of the economy in their area," says Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, architect and co-founder of Snøhetta.
Holistic architecture - "We have continued to collaborate with Snøhetta as architect to create a separate identity for the building, and to ensure a holistic architecture. One of the main focuses of this building is to be able to show in a transparent way how production takes place, while at the same time creating pleasant and adapted workplaces for the employees with large glass surfaces," says CEO Knut R. Holmøy of Holmøy Maritime. The construction of the entire facility was completed in two years, with around 120 operating at the construction site.
"The collaboration with Snøhetta gives us an unique opportunity to create something special. Their understanding of color, construction and architectural details ensures that our buildings are both functional and inspiring workplaces that promote well-being. Their ability to read the company's needs is important to us, and a design based on that has yielded results," says Holmøy.
"Snøhetta is grateful for the trust we have been shown, and happy that we have been part of yet another chapter in the history of Holmøy Maritime. Holmøy really makes a difference as they choose to invest in the local community with this new production facility and prioritize architecture and the design of good workplaces for their employees," says Nina M. Solsrud, Snøhetta Project Lead and Quality Manager.
Transparency - The production area takes up the majority of the volume. The fish is transported through four large industrial halls on its way from the sea. Because of advanced technical facilities and strict requirements for temperature and cleaning, the production facility was planned first, before the additional building with the supplementing functions was formed around it. This has ensured good flow with clear walkways in the building.
On the floor above the production halls, a glassed walkway zig-zags through the building, giving visitors the chance to learn and explore the process by looking down into the production facilities. On the opposite side, facing the sea outside, windows provide both contrast and context to the processing that takes place inside the factory. It was clear from the start that the well-being of the employees should be prioritized when designing the industrial plant. Therefore, the employees' and management's premises are characterized by open spaces with glass surfaces and good recreational areas. Three major skylights have been installed to ensure daylight even deep inside the large building.
Color scale - Three main colors have been chosen for the exterior, and three more for the inside of the building. Outdoors, the main color is a deep blue that changes with the light and allows both clouds and the sea to be reflected in the glossy façade. The contrasting ochre yellow and brown-orange is taken from the shoreline.
Indoors, the three colors follow the walkways of the building. The production halls have a blue hygiene floor. The sparsely lit viewing corridors in a dark blue and turquoise palette, provide a proper background for looking down into the brightly lit production halls. The administration area is kept in a green and natural pine wood palette, while red tones and the same wood characterize the canteen and the employees' break areas. Great contrasts have deliberately been created between the production halls and the break areas so that the employees who wear work clothes and work in industrial lighting on a daily basis experience a significant change when taking breaks. A warm and close lighting contributes to this contrast.
Wayfinding and design - Snøhetta Design has created a subtle yet informative and functional wayfinding and signage concept imprinting both the inside and outside of the facility. Shells and fish bones have been used both in contrast marking and on signs, and these elements have then been taken further into the iconography.
Typographically, inspiration came from the maritime and industrial sphere(?), with a tight and dense font. This has been supplemented in certain places with a stencil font associated with shipping and vessel markings.
