All photos by Ingrid Opstad
Last week I went to Oslo for the first time in many years, and something I was very excited to finally see was the Opera House. I have read and seen so many photos of the beautiful building, so it was about time I got to experience it myself.
The Opera House is located in the Bjørvika neighbourhood in central Oslo, right at the head of the Oslofjord. It was designed by Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta and completed in 2007, and has since then won the culture award at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona in October 2008 as well as the 2009 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture.
The angled exterior surfaces of the building are covered with Italian marble from Carrara and white granite, and the design makes it appear to be rising from the water. This is such a clever way to join the surrounding nature, fjord and city together as one. Snøhetta wanted to make the roof of the building a public space, a centre point that would be available for everyone in Oslo which they have achieved.
The interior is also very spectacular with a lot of oak, aluminium and large glass facades. They are open every day, and even have guided tours around inside the building if you are interested in seeing more. Or you can simply go there for a lovely lunch on the harbour side like we did!
The decoration wall designed by Olafur Eliasson in the foyer;
Want to see more? Check out these beautiful photos of the Opera House here on the Snøhetta website.
