Lantern Pavilion / AWP / Atelier Oslo

Architects: AWP / Atelier Oslo: AWP/ Atelier Oslo
Area: 140 m²
Year: 2010
Photographs: Jonas Adolfsen
Client: Sandnes Municipality
Type of Project: Public space. Pavillion in Langgata, main street of Sandnes
City: Sandnes
Country: Norway

Lantern Pavilion, a project by AWP / Atelier Oslo in Sandnes, Norway, revitalizes the Langgata pedestrian district. Created for the 2008 European Capital of Culture, the pavilion addresses the city’s need for a recognizable urban landmark. Featuring an iconic, glowing wooden structure, it serves as a versatile public space for markets, concerts, and social gatherings. The design incorporates natural materials, with overlapping glass panels and a laminated pine roof. Sculptural oak columns support the structure, creating flexible areas for various activities. The project emphasizes sustainability and innovation, enhancing Sandnes’ urban identity.

Previous State:

Sandnes, the second fastest-developing city in Norway, lacked a distinct identity and a recognizable urban image. The city’s division by railroad tracks created two contrasting areas: a denser historical part with small wooden houses and shops, and a modern extension towards the harbor, which was more open but less welcoming. The historical area, particularly the “amphi” location on Langgata, the main pedestrian road, had narrow dimensions that did not meet the symbolic needs of the space.

Aim of the Intervention:

When Sandnes and Stavanger were chosen as cultural capitals of Europe in 2008, the Norwegian Wood competitions were launched to promote innovative, sustainable timber architecture. The goal was to transform the region into an international showcase for such architecture. Sandnes requested the design of a new square and a wooden sculptural object in the pedestrian district of Langgata to revitalize the area and provide a venue for various activities, including markets, informal concerts, and social events. The intention was to create a place that could shelter, invite, and encourage more social events and sustain new practices. Given the site’s visibility from afar and from the railway dividing the city, it was crucial to design an object that could be experienced from a distance and reveal the square.

The public Lantern aimed to provide a space to enjoy light and weather changes when nothing else is happening. When activities do take place, the Lantern encourages even more to occur: creativity calls for creativity. The international competition was won by the French-Norwegian team AWP + Atelier Oslo, whose proposal featured the iconographic shape of an old, uplifted wooden house. By redefining its traditional construction and making it glow in the dark, a new city landmark was created. This landmark symbolizes the old city, upscaled to the new city’s dimensions, integrating Norwegian wood’s ancient architectural motifs into a contemporary object.

The Lantern is:

a homely yet forward-looking manifesto for public space design: not just a decoration, but an urban strategy;
a tree-like structure creating a micro-climate, resembling a welcoming urban micro-forest;
an inspiring atmosphere to sustain existing practices and encourage new experiences.

Description of the Intervention:

Glass:
The glass panels are installed in an overlapping pattern, similar to a traditional slate roof. This overlap accommodates movement between the panels, allowing the glass to be directly mounted onto the wooden structure without the need for typical steel profiles and substructure. A translucent pattern is printed on the panels to capture and diffuse light, enhancing the interaction with the wooden structure beneath. This arrangement creates a light, abstract effect, adding depth and reflective qualities to the overall design.

Roof:
The roof, with its recognizable shape, offers a dynamic experience for passersby. It stretches out to capture sunlight and filters light through its translucent structure. In rainy weather, clouds are reflected in the glass, and at night, the pavilion glows like a lantern. The uniform structure, made of 90x90mm wood members, achieves an abstract and lightweight sensation, with additional elements added where necessary. The roof construction uses laminated pine with steel reinforcement in the joints.

Columns:
Four groups of columns support the roof, creating a flexible space for various activities. The sculptural columns contrast with the simple roof shape and form informal spaces. Some columns turn into benches at ground level. Withdrawn from the roof’s edge, the columns are protected from rain and blur the sensation of being covered. Inspired by gothic principles, the structure’s continuity is visible from ground to roof, using massive oak with steel-reinforced joints.

Ground:
The ground is designed as a carpet-like base for diverse uses, made of different samples of resistant concretes suitable for the climate. This design provides a flexible foundation for various activities and events.