A traditional Norwegian harbor bath is being resurrected as an entertainment plaza, literally emerging from the water in topographical layers of concrete.
Originally built in 1937, the Knubben Harbor Bath in Arendal, Norway, was a public place for aquatic recreation, with a children's pool and a 10-meter (33-foot) high diving platform. It was a center for swimming instruction and diving competitions until 1947. After a brief return in the 60s as a jazz club, much of the bathhouse structure was demolished in the 80s after falling into disrepair.
Back in style (Norwegian style)
To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the city of Arendal, the harbor bathroom has been reinvented once again. This time from the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, former author of a gigantic Norwegian naval project, which I told you about here. To maintain the functionalism and “modernist spirit” of the former pavilion, Snøhetta designed a multi-use building that includes a minimalist-style emerged island.
“In restoring the traditional harbor bath to its original glory, we realized that the volumetric response needed to speak a different architectural language. It's our way of honoring the proud history of the 30s bathroom,” says the project manager Marius Hauland Naess.
A square that emerges from the sea
The new structure will emerge from the sea, supported by steel poles and mimicking a topographical map with its shaped concrete layers building on top of each other. As the Norwegian studio explains on its website, “it will resemble a block of stone shaped during the last glacial period.” The walls will alternate between concave and convex, maintaining the clean, modernist lines of the first bathroom.
The stepped levels will provide seating for large crowds to view the outdoor stage and amphitheater. They will also provide a place where people can relax and enjoy the sunshine and scenery. The “underwater” towers will also return, allowing customers to take part in the same entertainment as their ancestors almost a century earlier. The pavilion will also include a large internal area built under the stairs, with additional performance spaces and a restaurant, allowing the Norwegian Bath to be a year-round attraction.
“The facility has the potential to become a hybrid that seamlessly combines culture, recreation, marine biology and learning, and a very locally anchored food experience,” adds Næss.
Non-fatal attraction: zero impact
One of the goals of the Norwegian project is to make it as eco-friendly as possible. We hope that all materials used can blend with their surroundings and withstand moderate conditions.
Marius Hauland Naess
“One of our goals is to infuse the project with additional additional technologies that focus on recovery and recycling of materials , such as, but not limited to, glass. So far, there have been no compositions that produce zero or even negative CO2 emissions, so we are considering switching to a green alternative,” he says.
Norway's new Knubben Harbor Bath will open to the public in 2024.
