DRDH Architects

Kulturkvartalet (Bodø, Norway)

Project name: “Urban Figures”

Client: Bodø Kommune

Architect: DRDH Architects

Construction Cost: £45 million

Area: 11,200m²Client

Design Period: 2009 –2011

Expected completion Date: may 2014

Official opening: 14-11-2014

Environmental Consultants – XCO2

Project management: KORO (Public Art Agency)

with its representatives:

– Project manager: Mari Arrae

-Architect: Daniel Rosbottom

-Art Consultant: Ellen Saethre McGuirk

-Art Consultant & COmmittee : Arne Rygg

-representative for builders: Arne Vinje

-representative for users: Ottar Olaussen

Architects responsible for outdoor areas: DARK Architects

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-The Brief and the competition

In 2008, an international competition hosted by the Kommune Bodø in association with the National Association of Norwegian Architects, is won by DRDH Architects who were awarded with the opportunity to design Bodø’s new Theatre and Concert hall. The competition’s deadline was scheduled to the 29th February 2008 at 14:00, and its official language was set to be Norwegian. Submitted proposals may also used Danish / Swedish / English.

prize: set to be no less than 300.000 Norwegian Krones.

The aims of the competition through design:
• Localisation of the buildings within the parameters set by the available plots in the area
• Designing building volumes and public urban spaces

The primary functions of the new buildings:

• Bodo Nye Kulturhus (BNK)

• Library with additional functionality

• Rhythmic Centre
• Possible commercial activities
• Quay front and harbour promenade as attractive spaces

– extra: consideration of adding a slooping museum.

-The Site

In World War II the city of Bodø was bombarded, and a regeneration scheme was carried on soon after, however, the last two sites in the urban centre would see the final step for the reconstruction of the city through the building of a new cultural heart,

Situated only few hundred metres from the actual Kulturhaus (or Kulturhus) the new project will rise from the two pieces of land, the quarters 100 and 105, part of the now called the Nerbyen area; until few years ago used as a bus stop (100), and a parking space (105) for the Radisson Blue Hotel just adjacent of it.

Due to its geographical position in the city, the site offers an amazing opportunity for cultural exchange and recreation, relating to both the city and the harbour, with its waterfront promenade, and beyond to open sea and the grand scale of the landscape.

– The Project

DRDH winning proposal, “Urban Figures” awarded in February 2009, illustrated an auditorium/concert hall (Kulturhus) and a Library, which will take place in the city centre of the Norwegian town, few steps away from the coast.

the initial concept which developed the design for the two constructions derived from the view of the Northern Lights, and 50 iterations were made to the scheme

-The Kulturhaus

The Kulturhaus, overlooking the roof of the library toward the harbour, would provide concert and theatre spaces of international standards. It will be a multipurpose building for different stage performances such as theatre, shows, opera, dance / ballet, different concert formats, orchestral music, choirs, and band music, as well as for meetings and conferences.

Its main entrance is situate on Storgata, and a secondary entrance faces the new square shared with the Library.

the Kulturhaus contains 3 concert halls spreading from east to west:

– The main amphitheater (Sal 1) and fly tower, placed in the centre of the building, seating 950, with two principal balconies and side balconies, (with a stage up to 18 meters wide and 14 meters high)

– The harbour-side the 300-seat flexible auditorium (Sal 2)

– The City oriented smaller hall (Sal 3) to host club and popular music events.

such construction will be overlooking the roof of the library and the beyond harbour.

-The Library

The library, made up of three floors and accessible from the new square on the harbour, will have high ceilings in the main reading space, which will be well lit and have good contact with the harbour and the sea through a large window facing west. In addition to books, access to newspapers, internet and local information there will be an opportunity to loan laptops, tablets, books, films and music.

the Library also hosts a flexible performance room, a gallery, and a cafe.

The new library is expected to be visited by between 300,000 and 400,000 visitors each year

– Communication:

The communication for this project, unlikely other medium, small or some also Large projects, happened through a consultant, and a Lead client + a Project manager, who then deal themselves to the main client.

DRDH used means of communications such as the traditional Plans, sections and elevations, 3D renderings, models, written explainations, samples;

The initial use of B&W images was not well understood.

By constantly testing what worked or not with different users, they managed, through 50 iterations, to generate the definitive design by 2011.

The lead client often difficult to deal with about graphical essence of DRDH 3D drawings, colours, materials and weather conditions that the renderings showed.

Moreover, the Bibliotek & the Kulturhaus are being built as separate buildings, although part of the same project, and using two architects, one per building, plus their assistants.

-Finances

The project was sponsored by the Municipality of Bodø,

the incomes for the projects would also be gained through the concert tickets sales and event hosting, through the underground parking which is also set to be developed and estimated to found the project for about 240,000,000 NOK = 27.500,000 GBP.

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– Construction

started in early 2011, expected to end in may 2014

-Materials

The use of local material (such as the white stone) for instance, was essential for the practice, which wanted their building to belong and represent their environment. Moreover they also wanted to make the buildings feel in the right scale with their surroundings, reconciliate old and new and at the same time, to give to their project “that monumental quality that a civic building needs”

The Kulturhaus and the Library are built of precast concrete with a high concentrate of a local marble (used for the main structure and foundations), local white stone for claddings, Glass, and interior spaces are lined in natural materials including Oak;

the Amphitheatre is sound-treated so to be able to host both amplified and acoustic performances as well as for theatre.

-Sustainability

DRDH worked with XCO2 on the environmental strategy for the project, which utilises, amongst other things, the geothermal capacity of the sea and the strong winds in the town to minimise the operational energy consumption.

-Plans

section of the Bibliotek and the Kulturhaus