Viking Magazine - April 2019 - 14

In the
late
1980s,
a small group
of architects led
by Craig Dykers
and Kjetil Trædal
Thorsen formed
a design studio
above a beer hall in Oslo. They decided
to call it " Snøhetta, " after a Norwegian
mountain with ties to Norse mythology.
Snøhetta's big break came in 1989
when the founders decided to submit a
proposal for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
(shown on page 13), a major library in
Egypt. It was a long shot, since hundreds
of people registered for the international
competition. But Snøhetta won, and the
Bibliotheca Alexandrina was the firm's
first major project, garnering industry
acclaim.
Today, Snøhetta is one of the leading
firms of its kind in the world. Its
initial focus was on architecture and
landscapes, but the company went on to
specialize in other areas such as graphic
and product design.
Snøhetta has primary offices in New
York and Oslo, plus studio locations
scattered across Europe and the United
States. According to its official website,
Snøhetta has more than 240 employees
representing 32 different countries.
If you haven't heard of Snøhetta
until now, you've likely seen some of
their work. They're responsible for
designing the home of the Norwegian
National Opera and Ballet in Oslo and
the National September 11 Memorial
Pavilion in New York City. Read on
to learn more about Snøhetta's design
philosophy and some of their major
projects.
Design Philosophy
To get a sense of Snøhetta's design
philosophy, take a seat at their kitchen
table. Each of the firm's studios has an
open layout with a communal table at
its heart. Employees eat meals together
there, but they also use the space as a
collaborative working area.
The tables are not just tools for
the employee's daily work, but also
reflections of the company's core
values. The space brings transparency
to the design processes, gives
flexibility by allowing space
for quick meetings, and they
represent equality.
The firm's focus on
collaboration is part of
everything they do. While
traditional companies often
have a hierarchical structure,
Snøhetta's horizontal
structure allows employees to
Norwegian National
Opera and Ballet
National
September 11
Memorial
Pavilion
Major Works
Since its founding, Snøhetta has created
a variety of projects including buildings,
graphics, interiors, landscapes and
furniture.
Completed in 2001, the Bibliotheca
Alexandrina in Egypt was Snøhetta's
first major project that garnered
international attention. The building
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
freely communicate with one another
regardless of their title or position. They
take that same collaborative approach
with their clients and partners, drawing
on several points of view to come up
with the best possible design.
" Client, user, and internal office
workshops drive our design process and
can often produce the most exciting,
useful and fresh takes on a problem, "
according to Snøhetta's website.
Snøhetta's design process incorporates
both traditional and modern techniques.
The firm values handicrafts such as
woodworking, but they also embrace
new technology such as 3D prototyping.
Snøhetta also has a strong focus on
sustainability. When taking on a new
project, the firm conducts an analysis
of its environmental and social effects.
A good example is the National
September 11 Memorial Museum
Pavilion. Snøhetta's design includes
sustainable features such as wastewater
reuse, natural light to conserve energy
and locally sourced materials.
PHOTOS GERALD ZUGMANN / SNØHETTA
PHOTOS FAR LEFT BY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): GERALD ZUGMANN / SNØHETTA, JEFF GOLDBERG / ESTO, GERALD ZUGMANN / SNØHETTA

Viking Magazine - April 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - April 2019