The Waterfront Complex, transforming an old industrial area, frames the seafront and connects it - semantically and visually - with the historic center of Stavanger with traditional wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries. It is important to note that this city has the highest "concentration" of wooden buildings in Northern Europe.
The new residential complex promises to be one of the largest timber buildings in Europe: its total area is 19,500 m2. The first stage of construction has now been completed, and the facility will be fully completed next autumn.
Inspired by the mountainous Norwegian landscape and old buildings that offered varied vistas on the water, the architects created a picturesque border between the city and the bay, echoing the mountain peaks of the opposite shore. The new building meanders along the waterfront in a chain of volumes, separated by spectacular passages to the sea.
The complex has 128 apartments of various configurations ranging from 44 to 225 m2: single-level on the lower floors and bunk on the upper floors, but regardless of the number of levels, all apartments offer views of both Stavanger and the bay. The many scenarios included in the project stimulate the interaction of various social groups leading different lifestyles - from singles and young couples to large families and retirees. To strengthen the connection between them, in the central building there are common "communal" premises for residents with views of the main square on one side and the park, promenade and the sea on the other.
Almost the main attention is paid to the solution of the street space: accessible to everyone, it is divided into two main parts - the central square and the promenade along the coast, which are connected by stairs and wooden terraces. They are facing the sea and, thanks to the panorama of the bay opening from them, serve not only as a transit area, but also as a recreational area, a place for meetings and everyday communication: this connecting function is also emphasized by cafes and small shops located here and there on the ground floors of the residential complex.
The geometry of irregular polygonal volumes and sloping roofs at different angles is shaped according to the local climate, prevailing westerly winds and the course of the sun, so as to make optimal use of natural light in every apartment and in public spaces.
The facade and roofs of the residential complex are faced with thermally treated wood: according to the authors of the project, this makes modernity akin to antiquity, because this is how the Vikings increased the service life of wooden objects.
