Ocean Stories

The world’s northernmost visitor centre has been built in Honningsvåg, Finnmark. Ocean Stories aims to give visitors from Norway and abroad a deeper understanding of the sea, aquaculture, and marine resource management from an Arctic perspective, as well as serve as a meeting place for the aquaculture industry and the local community in Honningsvåg. The project has become a key driver in revitalising the city’s harbour.

The client wanted to create a strong framework for sharing knowledge about the sea and an attractive urban space that encourages activity in the harbour, as well as flexibility in the building’s use throughout the year and in the longer term.

A moderate volume and rational geometry have allowed for robust and efficient construction. The focus was on buildability and the use of low-emission and recycled materials. The building has been constructed as a solid timber structure with ribbed timber floors and CLT walls. A high degree of prefabrication enabled a short construction time, which was crucial given the climatic conditions in Northern Norway. In addition, the extensive use of wood contributed to the client’s environmental ambitions.

We were commissioned as structural engineers, covering the entire preliminary design phase.