Hamsunsenteret (The Hamsun Centre)
Description
Presteid, 8294 Hamarøy
The Hamsun Centre stands like a stake in the cultural landscape space by the Glimma ocean current at Presteid. The church and rectory are situated up the hill, and the old rectory ruins are the nearest neighbour.
The Hamsun Centre was designed by the American architect Steven Holl - the initial sketches were done in 1994 and the building was completed fifteen years later, coinciding with the 150th birthday of the writer Knut Hamsun in 2009.
The centre consists of two buildings: a six-storey tower and a single-storey cultural hall. The buildings are connected via a subterranean passage, and cover a floor area of 837 m_ and 524 m_ respectively. The two buildings constitute an entrance courtyard. The tower accommodates the exhibitions, reception, café, library, shop/bookshop, cloakrooms/wc and administration. The auditorium has a flexible stage with a retractable amphitheatre and is used for education events, as a theatre and cinema and for concerts, lectures and conferences.
The Hamsun Centre was designed by the American architect Steven Holl - the initial sketches were done in 1994 and the building was completed fifteen years later, coinciding with the 150th birthday of the writer Knut Hamsun in 2009.
The centre consists of two buildings: a six-storey tower and a single-storey cultural hall. The buildings are connected via a subterranean passage, and cover a floor area of 837 m_ and 524 m_ respectively. The two buildings constitute an entrance courtyard. The tower accommodates the exhibitions, reception, café, library, shop/bookshop, cloakrooms/wc and administration. The auditorium has a flexible stage with a retractable amphitheatre and is used for education events, as a theatre and cinema and for concerts, lectures and conferences.
Year of construction
2008-2009
Architect
Steven Holl Architects, LY Arkitekter AS, Landskapsfabrikken (landscape architect)
Client
Nordland County Municipality
Building Type
Museum
exhibition spaces
Construction System / Materials
Concrete
glass
timber
Prizes / Recognition
* International Architecture Award 2010, awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design in co-operation with The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. * Nord-Norges arkitektforenings arkitekturpris 2010 (North Norwegian Architect Association Architectural Prize 2010) * Wallpaper Design Award 2010 - Best New Public Building (one of five nominations) * AIA NY Honor Awards 2010, awarded by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York Chapter. * Condé Nast Traveller Innovation & Design Awards (I&DA) 2010, nominated in the
Literature
Hamsunsenterets nettside: http://hamsunsenteret.no/no/om-hamsunsenteret
Holl, Steven, "Hamsunsenteret Hamarøy. Arkitektens beskrivelse", Arkitektur N 02/2010, pp. 14-25.
MacKeith, Peter, "Slagmark for usynlige krefter", Arkitektur N 02/2010, pp. 26-33.
Holl, Steven, "Hamsunsenteret Hamarøy. Arkitektens beskrivelse", Arkitektur N 02/2010, pp. 14-25.
MacKeith, Peter, "Slagmark for usynlige krefter", Arkitektur N 02/2010, pp. 26-33.
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