The building, 34 meters long, is submerged 5 meters under the water, to the level of the seabed, near the village of Bolu (Linnesnes commune), while it protrudes 10 meters above the water. A concrete shell-"pipe" with walls half a meter thick was made on a barge 20 meters from the planned location of the restaurant, then windows were inserted into it and filled with water to ensure immersion (filled with air, it kept on the surface, making it easy to tow into place), and then secured to the bottom. The rough surface of the concrete should transform the restaurant into an artificial reef: sea plants and animals will settle there.
The rich flora and fauna of this part of the North Sea will bring not only guests, but also scientists to the restaurant: Under (this name is translated from Norwegian at the same time as "under" and "miracle") serves as a base for the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomic Research (NIBIO) and other scientific centers … Biologists have already begun their observations and made their first discovery: they discovered a species of jellyfish, which, as was previously thought, was not found in Linnesnes. We also managed to see lobster larvae 5–6 millimeters long, which had previously been observed only in laboratory conditions. Surveillance can be conducted from the restaurant's interior around the clock, which cannot be achieved with scuba diving, so researchers expect new successes. To attract animals to the panoramic window at the level of the seabed, illumination is arranged there: fish and jellyfish are interesting not only for scientists, but also for restaurant guests.
Hjetil Thorsen, co-founder of Snøhetta, emphasizes that the project continues his bureau's experiments with borders: in this case, between land and sea. The interior at the entrance is sheathed with oak wood. A spectacular staircase leads down, first to the mezzanine floor with a bar, and then to the main hall for 40 guests. The tree on the ceiling is replaced by a fabric specially created for the project: its color changes as you descend along the pattern of a sunset in the ocean, from pink to coral, blue-green and finally dark blue. Acoustic panels are located under the fabric. In addition to the panoramic window (11 mx 3.4 m), the restaurant also has a narrow vertical window from the mezzanine tier to the very bottom, allowing you to see the "cut" from the water surface to the bottom.
380 LED lights minimize reflections on the panoramic window for a more comfortable view of the seafloor. The view behind the glass changes depending on the season and time of day: the blue water of a winter day in summer will be replaced by a rich green tone - thanks to algae.
The furniture was specially designed by the architects for Under. Snøhetta also created the identity and
the website of the restaurant for which the Commercial Type bureau Portrait was used.
The chef is Dane Nicolai Ellitsgaard from the Måltid restaurant in nearby Kristiansand. The menu is based on locally sourced produce with an emphasis on “wild” species harvested with all “sustainability” requirements, as well as experimentation with local seafood (seaweed desserts, etc.).
