Skogfoss kraftstasjon (Skogfoss Power Station)
Description
9925 Svanvik
Pasvik River runs northwards from the great Lake Enare in Finland and has its outlet in Bøkfjorden at Kirkenes. Shortly after leaving Enare, the river runs into Russia and after 30 km it nears the border between Norway and Russia. The river and its lakes thereafter form more or less the entire border area between Norway and Russia for about 110 km. A total of seven power plants have been built along the length of this 140-km watercourse: Skogfoss and Melkefoss are Norwegian, the rest are Russian.
Skogfoss power plant consists of various units. There is the dam with flood diversion, intake channel for the water, the power station itself and the outflow channel. Skogfoss is characterized as a river power plant, and the power station itself is situated as a conclusion of the dam and the intake channel. The long main dam, with the intake channel, both cast in concrete, form an organic bow shape. The dam provides Langvannet with a somewhat larger reservoir than it would otherwise have, but the most important function of the dam here is to provide fall height and stable intake conditions for the power station. The main dam, which is also constructed to accommodate considerable ice pressure, is situated partly on the Russian and partly on the Norwegian side, and is about 380 metres in length. The dam gates for flood diversion, which are situated on the Russian side of the border, have electric heating devices to prevent them becoming stuck.
The architecture of the power station is pure 1960s functionalist in style, executed in concrete, characterized by composite geometric spaces and flat roofs. The architecture is vigorous, and each part of it expresses what goes on inside. The most characteristic aspect of the construction is the play on horizontal and vertical building spaces, where three rectangular, vertical towers loom over the construction. These mark the transition between the organic limit of the water’s surface and the right-angled form of the building itself.
Skogfoss power plant consists of various units. There is the dam with flood diversion, intake channel for the water, the power station itself and the outflow channel. Skogfoss is characterized as a river power plant, and the power station itself is situated as a conclusion of the dam and the intake channel. The long main dam, with the intake channel, both cast in concrete, form an organic bow shape. The dam provides Langvannet with a somewhat larger reservoir than it would otherwise have, but the most important function of the dam here is to provide fall height and stable intake conditions for the power station. The main dam, which is also constructed to accommodate considerable ice pressure, is situated partly on the Russian and partly on the Norwegian side, and is about 380 metres in length. The dam gates for flood diversion, which are situated on the Russian side of the border, have electric heating devices to prevent them becoming stuck.
The architecture of the power station is pure 1960s functionalist in style, executed in concrete, characterized by composite geometric spaces and flat roofs. The architecture is vigorous, and each part of it expresses what goes on inside. The most characteristic aspect of the construction is the play on horizontal and vertical building spaces, where three rectangular, vertical towers loom over the construction. These mark the transition between the organic limit of the water’s surface and the right-angled form of the building itself.
Year of construction
1962-1964
Architect
Arkitekt F. S. Platou, Oslo
Client
A/S Sydvaranger og Varanger Kraftlag
Building Type
Power-station
Construction System / Materials
Concrete
Keywords
power station
concrete
dam
functionalism
tower
Literature
Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat: Kulturminner i norsk kraftproduksjon, Oslo 2006, pp. 240-243.
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