In the Norwegian capital, a supermodern ski jump is being built

Oslo - The symbol of the Norwegian capital, the Holmenkollen ski jump, is undergoing a radical transformation. Due to the upcoming World Championship in Nordic skiing, which Oslo will host in 2011, the inadequate old structure was demolished at the end of last year, and a new, futuristic jump is now being constructed.
The competition for the design of the new building was won by the Danish architectural studio Juliana de Smedta. In accordance with modern trends, its jump will rise unsupported towards the sky, and the cosmic impression of the structure will be further enhanced by a beam of light that will visually extend the approach for the jumpers upwards towards the clouds.
After dusk, the transparent walls of the jump, which are designed to protect the jumpers from unpleasant gusts of wind, will also be illuminated from inside. The entire jump will thus glow in a milky white color.
"The jury believes that viewed from both close and afar, it will be very impressive and significantly contribute to the new jump becoming an icon of the city," the judges stated in their evaluation.
In recent years, the area at Holmenkollen, located on a hill on the northern edge of the city and home to a ski museum among other things, has been a tourist magnet for the metropolis and according to some sources, the most visited Norwegian monument.
The architects from JDS also had tourists in mind. At the peak of the Holmenkollen Lighthouse, as they named the future light dominion of the Norwegian capital, they placed an open observation terrace from which the whole city, including the picturesque fjord, will be visible.
The jump, whose approach for the jumpers symmetrically opens downward into two "arms" ending in stands for 43,000 spectators, is expected to be completed by the beginning of 2010, when it will undergo a stress test in the form of a World Cup competition.
The first ski jumping competitions at Holmenkollen took place as early as 1892; back then, a performance of 21.5 meters was enough to win on the jump made from branches and snow. In 1922 and 1923, Crown Prince Olav also participated in the jumping competitions here, and in 1952, Holmenkollen hosted the Winter Olympics. The last modifications to the jump took place in 1992.
When Oslo was awarded the hosting of the 2011 World Championship, heated debates erupted over whether to modernize the existing jump, which was considered outdated, too small, and windy, or to demolish it completely. "The costs for renovating the old jump and building a new one were almost the same, so we opted for new construction," Councilor Anette Wiigová Brynová stated in an interview with the newspaper Aftenposten.
However, the construction of the new jump, which is intended to harmonize with the surrounding landscape in the spirit of Norwegian architectural traditions, has not been without problems. The Oslo city hall could not secure enough funding for the JDS Architects project, which won out of 104 proposals. The budget was eventually reduced to approximately 900 million Norwegian kroner (2.4 billion CZK), which led to a number of restrictions.
The use of steel for the construction of the jump's framework has also sparked some controversy. Critics point out that this material, unlike traditional concrete, is too flexible and especially in such a windy location as Holmenkollen, the jump could sway perilously, with the worst-case scenario being that it might even collapse.