Knut Hamsun Center. in Detail

Steven Holl designed elements of this museum, dedicated to the Norwegian writer, as emblems of a human body and figures in Hamsun's work.

This center dedicated to Hamsun is located above the Arctic Circle near village of Presteid of Hamarøy and the farm where the writer grew up. The museum includes exhibition areas, a library and reading room, a cafe and an auditorium. The concept for the museum is "building as a body," creating a battleground of invisible forces. The stained black wood exterior skin is characteristic of the great wooden stave Norse churches. The spine of the building body is the central elevator, providing handicapped and freight access to all parts of the building. At the roof garden the long grass reflects the traditional Norwegian sod roofs in a different way. Strange, surprising and phenomenal experiences in space perspective and light will provide an inspiring frame for the exhibitions.

Architect.- Steven Holl Architects / Steven Holl (design architect)

PROGRAM: historical museum for writer Knut Hamsun including exhibition areas, library, reading room, cafe and 230 seat auditorium
CLIENT.- Nordland Fylkeskommune (County)
SIZE.- 24.445 sf

Total construction cost.- $11 million

Completion date.- August 2009 (from 1994)

Holl’s first drawings laid out the equation, or concept, for the project:
"Building = A Body — battleground of invisible forces" — a reference to Hamsun’s novel Hunger

MORE PUBLISHED IN METALOCUS ABOUT STEVEN HOLL:

A horizontal skyscraper for the Vanke Center" | Steven Holl Architects
published in: M-022 | PA01 | p. 56

Site plan. Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects

Section. Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects

Floor plan. Image courtesy of Steven Holl Architects

Model. Image courtesy of Steven Holl Architects

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More information

STEVEN HOLL

Steven Holl was born in 1947 in Bremerton, Washington. He graduated from the University of Washington and pursued architecture studies in Rome in 1970. In 1976 he attended the Architectural Association in London and established STEVEN HOLL ARCHITECTS in New York City. Considered one of America's most important architects.He has realized cultural, civic, academic and residential projects both in the United States and internationally. Most recently completed are the Cité de l'Océan et du Surf in Biarritz, France (2011).

Steven Holl is a tenured Professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture and Planning. He has lectured and exhibited widely and has published numerous texts.

Recently the office has won a number of international design competitions including the new design for the Contemporary Art Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, USA) and he has been recognized with architecture's most prestigious awards and prizes. Recently, he received the RIBA 2010 Jencks Award, and the first ever Arts Award of the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards (2009). In 2006 Steven Holl received honorary degrees from Seattle University and Moholy-Nagy University in Budapest. In 2003 he was named Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Steven Holl is a member of the American National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the American Institute of Architects, the American Association of Museums, the Honorary Whitney Circle, the Whitney Museum of American Art; and the International Honorary Committee, Vilpuri Library, of the Alvar Aalto Foundation.

Published on: July 6, 2011

Cite: "Knut Hamsun Center. in Detail" METALOCUS. Accessed

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