Porsgrunn Maritime Museum in Porsgrunn, Norway, has been nominated for one of the most prestigious architecture awards worldwide - the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award. Launched in 1987, the award is co-funded by the EU Culture Programme and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe. 

The city of Porsgrunn has a long maritime history of shipping and the unique development of the region is clearly visible in the existing building structure. The concept of the museum shows a high level of sensitivity towards the existing historical context, yet simultaneously standing out as a contemporary public building; the housing of a science center. Taking into account the surrounding building structure, the museum is composed of downscaled volumes with tilted roofs that are assembled into a larger building unit. A charismatic aluminum façade outlines the shape of the building composition.

Building Exterior

Ground Floor

First Floor

Plan:Ground Floor

Plan:First Floor

Transversal Section

Longitudinal Section

The museum is placed in a context of small pitched roof buildings

A massive 1.700 m2 of museum and science center functions is to be provided.

The building's functions fall into two categories: light and dark. The light and extroverted functions arelocated on the ground floor, and the dark and introspective museum facilities placed on the first floor.

The building is divided into smaller building components in order to inscribe it in the scale of the context.

The building components are stretched to let light into the ground floor creating a varied sloping roof.

All Images © COBE

Project Facts