Norwegian Institute for Nature Research | Pir II

The NINA-project started out as an invited architectural competition. The client wanted a new headquarter which signalized the image of the institute as an institute for nature research. At the same time they wanted a modern and flexible office building which could be the home of both theoretical scientists as well as tough field-workers. Pir II proposed a simple conceptual approach for differentiating between several layers of the institute´s activities. The project focused much on the use of natural wooden materials, both as load-bearing structures and cladding. The concrete base of the project is shaped on the metaphor of a glacier. It holds a semi-public meeting center, laboratories, technical and storage spaces. On top of the glacier stands a wooden box which is an office block in four stories. In between is the ground floor with the main entrance, library and a shared cafeteria. In total the building is six stories. Approximately gross area is 8 700 m2. The building was finished around May 2013. The load-bearing slabs of the office block are made out of 170mm massive wood. These elements, approximately 5200 in total, have their underside exposed in the interior of the story underneath. All of the exterior walls have studs, laths and cladding made out of wood. The light brown exterior cladding is untreated Kebony pine. The inside of the exterior walls have wooden panels of spruce which also act as acoustic absorbents. The building has a passive house energy standard for office buildings. To avoid the need for mechanical cooling, Pir II designed exterior solar shadings of the same wood as the cladding. Combined with several semi-climatised spaces integrated in the façade, these have become a main architectural feature of the building.