Infrastructure and landscape in Norway.

The “Gullesfjord Weight Control Station” in Norway, designed by Norwegian firm JVA, is an infrastructural building that does exactly what it is designed for but at the same time leaves a small footprint in the Norwegian national parks of far north.



Norwegian architecture firm, Jarmund/Visnæs AS Arkitekter, whose most recent works are on exhibition in Paris right now, has designed the “Gullesfjord Weight Control Station”. This is a weigh and inspection station for trucks travelling over the bridges connecting the Lofoten islands with the mainland.





It is the first stage in a more ambitious project that includes a fuel station, coffee shop, coach stop and tourist facilities.





The architects were faced with the challenge of fitting the building into a breathtakingly beautiful  but very vulnerable natural backdrop, considering the extreme conditions of a location that lies within the arctic circle.





So they decided to go for a reinforced concrete structure, constructing it partly underground to keep down the height and therefore the visual impact of the whole building. The grey concrete blends discreetly into the mountainous surroundings, while the orange shades on the facades and interiors add a splash of colour that brightens up the long arctic winter. 



Architecture that focuses on environmental protection while being an integral part of its surroundings.

Progetto: Jarmund/Visnæs AS Arkitekter MLNA, www.jva.no
Luogo: Gullesfjord, Troms, Norway
Anno: 2011
Fotografie: Nils Petter Dale, JVA, Håkon Aurlien – courtesy of JVA
Link exhibition: http://www.floornature.com/overview-architecture-news/news-exhibition-jarmund-vigsns-arkitekter-constructing-views-2011-2014-9404/