Munchmuseet

The new Museum stands as a dynamic hub for contemporary culture as well as a cohesive element for the community of Oslo.

Conceived to be a landmark in the natural environs of the fjord, the museum divides into a civic base and a vertical body, with irregularities preventing interruption of views. The vertical volume has an important role to play in the urban fabric, moving the Norwegian capital’s center of gravity towards its meeting with the fjord. An ascending visitor route connects the foyer (a public space featuring recreational, commercial, cultural, and hospitality uses) to the rooftop terraces.

Along the way, museum-goers get an idea of the scheme’s complexity from the complementary programs they come across: restoration rooms, administrative offices, a library, an education center, and so on. On the outside, an undulating skin of perforated aluminum with varying degrees of transparency creates an enigmatic and evanescent image, reacting to slight climate stimuli through an appearance that changes with the time of day and with the seasons.