Local studios Jørgen Tandberg Architecture and Vatn Architecture looked towards the simplicity of utilitarian roadside buildings when designing Brunstranda Service Building in Norway.
Located in Lofoten, an archipelago in the north of Norway, the concrete service centre provides rest spaces and bathroom facilities for cyclists and surfers visiting the area.
It replaces old and dilapidated facilities on the site, which is positioned beside a white sandy beach and bordered by the large mountain ranges of Flakstadøy.
Jørgen Tandberg Architecture and Vatn Architecture have designed a service centre in Norway
Jørgen Tandberg Architecture and Vatn Architecture took visual cues from the straightforward forms of utilitarian buildings found along roads nearby in Norway for their design. This led to a pared-back, cuboidal volume for the centre, built with prefabricated concrete elements, including fourteen-metre-long beams, and a gridded facade.
It is topped by a roof structure that extends beyond the walls, providing covered outdoor areas where tourists can shelter from the rain.
It provides rest spaces and bathroom facilities for surfers and cyclists
"The form of the building is simple and clear, with strong horizontal lines contrasting the wild landscape around it," architect Espen Vatn told Dezeen.
"We like the ordinary utilitarian and unassuming buildings one finds along the roads in Norway," added architect Jørgen Tandberg. "Our project aims to ref...