HOUSE OF CRAFTS
KOSY Collective and SODO-SOPA have partnered to propose a concept for the new workshops for arts and crafts at Follo open air Museum in Norway.
The museum design is informed by traditional Norwegian architectural concepts such as green roofs, wood construction and transparency as well as contemporary modular design and construction princples.
The new workshops are used to frame a new arrival experience and sequence for Follo museum, something could be improved. The building is covered with green-roof and contains the workshops and storage space. Inspired by the traditional Norwegian green roof architecture, the building's angular shape blend the proposal with its surroundings and connects users and visitors with nature while the workshops appear as part of the lush forest, and the interior features radical transparency. The project is designed to be adaptable and prefabricated providing flexibility respond to future needs of the museum.
Location: Drøbak, Norway
Client: MiA Museene i Akershus
Program: Workshops wood,arts and crafts, Administration, Storage
Size: 1600 m²
Year: 2021
Collaborators: Studio Sang (visuals)
The Follo Museum is set to undergo a major transformation with a new building project that will give it a new spatial identity. The proposed building will be placed in a radial configuration that embraces a clearly defined yard, known as gardstun. The new building will be interconnected by a series of exterior spaces, allowing for seamless flow and accessibility.
The green-roof covered volumes of the proposed building will contain the building workshop, textile workshop, and back of house and storage space. The clear organization of the building's volumes and simple angular shape offer an element of surprise to visitors. Inspired by the traditional Norwegian green roof architecture, the building will connect visitors with nature while sitting quietly among the trees in a perfect balance with the environment.
In order to ensure that the building is in harmony with the natural surroundings, the architects have placed the building in a radial configuration around a clearly defined yard, known as gardstun. The green-roof covered volumes contain the building workshop, textile workshop, and back-of-house and storage space. The clear spatial identity of the yard creates an interconnected series of exterior spaces, and the angular shape of the building's design offers an element of surprise to visitors.
The workshops will appear as part of the lush forest, camouflaging with the environment to create a harmonious balance between nature and architecture. The building will showcase an open cut through the landscape that will lead visitors through the museum's new gateway and ticket center and into the open-air museum arrival plaza area, landscaped amphitheater, and different museum buildings.
The interior of the building will offer a dichotomy, with radical transparency inviting museum visitors to enjoy the whole process and works taking place in the workshops. At the same time, the workers will have the unique experience of working in the middle of the forest, enjoying the beauty of nature while doing their work.
The proposed building is envisioned as an adaptable and prefabricated system that can be built on-site or remotely. It can be reconfigured to enhance future flexibility, offering the opportunity to tailor the spatial experience quickly to respond precisely to the workshop's changing needs. Each module will respond to the climate and topography conditions, keeping flexibility and responding to the changing needs of the workshops.
The project will act as an exemplar of sustainable architecture, built with local and upcycled timber and materials. The building will incorporate cutting-edge prefabrication technology combined with Norwegian traditional wood construction techniques, using the building itself as an educational showcase of traditional joinery techniques and local building crafts.
The Follo Museum's new building project is set to redefine the museum's spatial identity and enhance the overall visitor experience. The building's radial configuration, simple angular shape, and green-roof covered volumes create an element of surprise and seamless flow, inviting visitors to connect with nature and enjoy the beauty of the environment.
The workshops will offer a unique experience for visitors and workers alike, with radical transparency inviting museum visitors to enjoy the works taking place in the workshops while offering the workers a chance to work in the middle of the forest.
The project's adaptability and prefabrication technology offer a sustainable and flexible solution, allowing for future changes and reconfigurations. It will also act as an exemplar of sustainable architecture, incorporating local and upcycled materials while showcasing traditional joinery techniques and local building crafts.
In summary, the Follo Museum's new building project offers a unique and innovative solution to enhance the museum's overall visitor experience while redefining its spatial identity. The proposed building's seamless flow, radical transparency, and adaptability will create a harmonious balance between nature and architecture, offering visitors and workers a chance to connect with the environment and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings.
Follo museum is a cultural museum in Southeast of Norway, showcasing traditional arts and crafts as well as heritage vernacular architecture. The museum is spread out and is often visited by families and schools for its educational purpose.
The proposed building will become a new piece of Follo museum and the heart of a regional knowledge and practical training hub for building conservation, traditional crafts and intangible cultural heritage.
Images from Follo open air museum
The design proposal for the "House of crafts" is guided by 4 core desires: To give Follo museum a gateway and civic plaza they deserve, To be harmounious with its surroundings, To be designed around the principles of Circularity and to be inclusive and open towards the public.
Credit: Studio Sang / Workshops are fluidly connected with the outdoor areas shared in common with the Museum.
Workshops are fluidly connected with the outdoor areas shared in common with the Museum.
