Langeleik

Langeleik was one of four finalist in the open competition for a new Visitor Center and Exhibition Space for the artist Nikolai Astrups home in Jølster. The motto for our project is ”Langeleik”, a traditional Norwegian string instrument;

‘Compared to other instruments, the langeleik is low-key. The Langeleik is an instrument with a long resonance box, around one metre long and ten to twelve centimetres wide. Old wooden tables provide good resonance and help to amplify the sound even more.’

The concept behind the viewing center was to create a building that resonates with the nature, site and cultural landscape: Like the Langeleik, the building exists by virtue of its surroundings.

Langeleik is 80 metres long and 8 metres wide, with a roof that merges with the terrain. A long and narrow volume gives the building a landscape-like character that emphasizes the qualities of the site, while at the same time introducing new and unexpected architectural elements. The landscape that Astrup captured in his dramatic fjord motifs is introduced as various spaces, views, different lighting conditions and materials. The excavated moraine soil from the site is sorted and used as a load-bearing material in the form of rammed earth walls, aggregates and in the shaping of the surrounding landscape.

Two different arrivals are connected through an outdoor passageway with a main entrance on the south side. The arrival from the main road leads through a tunnel to a light well and a stair. The entrance from the south is on a sloping ramp. Small paths and walkways traversing the landscape encourage the visitors to experience both landscape and building. The different ways of entering the building enhance the overall experience of walking in the landscape.

The building is mainly a roof with two façades, one to the south and one to the north. To the north, the horizontal landscape is accentuated. A long roof spans a continuous glass façade that lets in the soft northern light. From inside the building, the north-facing view of Jølstervannet appears as a magnificent landscape painting. To the south, the verticality of the landscape is dramatised.An external ramp and stair separate the building from the landscape. A solid wall of rammed earth cuts into the depths and opens up for a reading of the materials found on site. The openings in the wall provide defined views and allow the sun's sharp shadows to be drawn into the house.