Schmidt Hammer Lassen Wins Competition for Mixed-Use Tower and Urban Plan in Stavanger, Norway

Written by Patrick Lynch

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects has won an international competition for the design of an urban redevelopment plan and high-rise in Stavanger, Norway. Beating out entries from Snøhetta, UNStudio, Dark Arkitekter and Eder Biesel Arkitekter, the winning proposal, “Breiavatnet Lanterna,” features a dynamic scheme to support the proliferation of sustainable and creative work environments throughout the city.

The project encompasses a new public center, the transformation of an existing park and a new 101 meter (331 foot) tall tower that will contain 18,170 square meters (195,580 square feet) of highly-flexible space for offices, restaurants, conferences and exhibitions. Both the ground and top floors of the high-rise will be publicly accessible, ensuring the building will remain an asset for the entire community.

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The new tower will be located near Stavanger Central Station, beside the future “Tivoliparken,” a new green space that will link the district to surrounding neighborhoods and the greater city. The tower is accessible on 3 sides, with the main entrance turned toward the park, rather than the street. To cohesively site the building within the city, the plan of the ground floor has been arranged to interweave with the existing urban fabric.

“The new 26-storey tower will stand simple and modern in its form with a clear Scandinavian architectural reference, bringing a timeless expression to the varied building structures in the area,” the architects explain. “The facade design is a composition of slim vertical aluminium and glass panels which offer increased daylight to over 1,000 work spaces. The building design is optimized to the highest degree of user-friendliness and energy efficiency. Green terraces at different heights and orientations bring a distinct recognizable character to this new high-rise in Stavanger, which will be one of the highest in Norway.”

Public program on the first two floors will include a café, restaurant and cafeteria, as well as adaptable performance and exhibition spaces centered around a large amphitheater staircase. The third through fifth floors will house a church currently located on the site, while floors 6 to 24 will contain brightly lit, open concept offices. The top two floors will offer conference facilities, restaurants, bars and public space featuring panoramic views of the city skyline and nearby fjord.

The competition was managed by Base Property and Borderholm Aksjeselskap, who were seeking a “timeless, high-quality, sustainable” development to serve as a new attraction for Stavanger.

News via Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects.