Maritime Museum in Porsgrunn by COBE architects

In mid-December, a maritime museum was opened in the Norwegian port city of Porsgrunn, located approximately 100 kilometers southwest of Oslo. The museum was designed by a duo of Danish studios, Cobe and Transform. It is situated on the banks of the Skeinselva River, in a former shipyard that once employed thousands of people. The shiny object visible from a distance signifies urban renewal and new development of the entire port area. The main goal of the museum was to elevate the industrial area that had turned its back on the city and to attract residents to the riverbank. Great attention was also paid to the existing industrial architecture. The museum consists of a total of eleven smaller square forms, collectively offering 2,000 m² of exhibition space. Each part has a different roof slope, creating a varied roof landscape. The scale-like aluminum cladding of the facade, produced directly in Porsgrunn, reflects not only the dynamics of the entire structure but also the light and colors of the surrounding mountainous Norwegian landscape.
The authors add to their design: “Initially, we aimed to explore the existing environment to enhance these characteristics further while confronting them with something new. The fragmented mass of the museum and the expressive roof design are a clear reference to the historically small wooden houses, each with a different roof. Through their new interpretation, a unique and characteristic contemporary building could emerge, bringing something radically new and different to the place.”