Museum of Art in Lillehammer

The extension of the existing Art Museum in Lillehammer was created on the occasion of the 1994 Olympic Games, with the intention of increasing the impact of the event on cultural activities in the area. While the original museum was known for its collection of Norwegian landscape painting, the new section provides space for temporary exhibitions and a collection of modern art. The building is located in the city center and dominates its surroundings.
The main feature of the building is its softly shaped, undulating mass, clad in wood. The shape and material are reminiscent of the surrounding mountainous landscape, and the wood has a direct connection to traditional techniques used, for example, in shipbuilding. A small garden between the old and new parts of the museum, with stones and a water feature, allows for outdoor sculptures to be placed here.
The building also includes an extensive adjacent area, which is the main gathering place in the city center. By elevating the building to the level of the first floor and using transparent walls on the ground floor, this space flows through the museum and connects with the garden. The project has been widely published in Norway and around the world and has become one of the symbols of the Olympics and the city itself.