Sustainability meets immersive design in a new climbing wall by Snøhetta, whose timber new climbing centre in Skien, Norway puts energy efficiency at the forefront.
For Bård Stangnes, lead architect of the Høyt Under Taket project, using timber as the main material allowed for the celebration of bucolic themes. ‘As the design was inspired by nature, it made us move away from thinking of walls, floors, and ceilings in a traditional way,’ he says. ‘We had rock formations in mind, where the distinction between wall and roof is blended, and the bold idea was to create a cave made of timber where you could explore every surface with your body.’
Snøhetta's climbing wall
It is a vision made possible by the flexibility of the cross-laminated timber, which provides multiple fastening points, enabling the client Høyt Under Taket to easily change climbing grips and routes. By building with wood, the project also has a lower carbon footprint than traditional materials, thanks to its ability to be prefabricated in locations aside from the construction site, reducing the number of deliveries. Light and strong, timber is also a natural choice for projects which require shallow foundations, requiring less piling and simplifying the process.
‘The task was to make a design manual for different sites and sizes, so the building had to be quite pragmatic,’ Stangnes adds. ‘A central spine of structural timber frames makes up the architectural concept, and out from this one would add volumes according to different needs and situations. The timber frames give the brand a recognisable motif that will be part of its future climbing centres elsewhere.’
Resembling a cave of timber, the eschewment of the traditional separation between walls and ceilings and the exposed wood creates an immersive experience for the climber. ‘Understanding the need, understanding the client, and understanding the end user are one of the most rewarding things in architecture,’ says Stangnes. ‘It’s a task of a puzzle, but first, you must find the pieces. After our first workshop, Covid hit, and we had to find this new way of working digitally. It’s great to see that a framework shaped in a home office is now full of life, kids, and activity.’
-
Why everyone in LA is talking about Café TondoHelmed by chef Valeria Velásquez and designed by Aunt Studio, this new spot delivers Latin American buzz all day long
-
Inside the Waldorf Astoria's dazzling restoration, from cigar smoke to snowy owlsHow a team of architects from SOM and a group of art conservationists brought New York's grand dame back to her original Art Deco splendor
-
How do you modernise a home without making it feel modern? This farmhouse renovation is a stunning case studyA 300-year-old English farmhouse has been given a new lease of life while staying true to the old ways
-
The great American museum boomNine of the world’s top ten most expensive, recently announced cultural projects are in the US. What is driving this investment, and is this statistic sustainable?
-
A holiday house on a Norwegian fjord drinks in spectacular viewsAn elegant and modest holiday home on a fjord on Norway’s western coast works with a steep site and far-reaching vistas
-
PoMo Museum opens its colourful spaces in Trondheim’s art nouveau post officePoMo Museum is a new Trondheim art destination, featuring colourful interiors by India Mahdavi in an art nouveau post office heritage building
-
Omaha’s Joslyn Art Museum's newest addition effortlessly complements the institution’s existing complexThe third addition to Joslyn Art Museum is designed by Snøhetta, which opted for voluminous common spaces and illuminating atriums
-
Tour this waterfront Norwegian summer house in pristine natureCabin Lillesand by architect, Lund Hagem respects and enhances its natural setting in the country's south
-
Kunstsilo sees a functionalist grain silo transformed into Norway’s newest art galleryKunstsilo’s crisp modern design by Mestres Wåge with Spanish firms Mendoza Partida and BAX Studio transforms a listed functionalist grain silo into a sleek art gallery
-
Aarestua Cabin brings old Norwegian traditions into the 21st centuryAarestua Cabin by Gartnerfuglen is a modern retreat with links to historical Norwegian traditions, and respect for its environment
-
Beijing City Library is an otherworldly escape from the digital worldBeijing City Library by Snøhetta is a flowing, welcoming space to share knowledge and socialise
