North atlantic house | Cornelius + Vöge

NARRATIVE ARCHITECTURE Located in the harbour of Odense, the house of the North Atlantic will embody a significant assembly point for the culture of Greenland, Iceland and Faroe Islands. The house is a hybrid of different functions and becomes a small North Atlantic village including exhibition spaces, design shop, restaurant, cultural administration, conference spaces as well as 25 student apartments. The project derives from a deep understanding of the 3 North Atlantic countries' culture and identity. The building is designed as an assembly of 3 buildings standing on pillars in a concrete landscape. By connecting the exterior and interior - the landscape creates an open and inviting ground floor with various multi purpose spaces like restaurant, design shop, exhibition space etc. Through a narrative architectural expression and framework the house serves as a generator for the community of the North Atlantic countries. The building has a strong reference to the wooden houses with saddle roofs from the Nordic countries, and the landscape refers to the three countries’ rock formations and dramatic scenery. The building generates a universe where different functions are connected in a natural and creative way with a playful use of unique building materials. The materials used are black zinc, raw concrete, catfish skin and driftwood from the coasts of Iceland.