New City Hall in Førde by MestresWågeArquitectes
08/07/2015.
[Førde] Norway
metalocus, DANIEL MADERA, CELIA RODRÍGUEZ.
metalocus, DANIEL MADERA, CELIA RODRÍGUEZ.
The Catalan/Norwegian office of architecture Mestres Wåge Arquitectes, based in Barcelona, winner of the the international restricted design competition for the construction of the new city hall in Førde (Norway). Their project won, in 2009, competing with the recognized Nordic firms BIG and Henning Larsen. The building was opened in 2014.
Aerial view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Outside view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Outside view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Outside view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Open air central patio, it opens toward the river and the existing market place through an outdoor porch. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Courtyard view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Courtyard view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Top terrace. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Inside view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Plenary hall. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Outside view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Outside view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Ground and first floor plan. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Image © Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Second and third floor plan. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Image © Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
East elevation and section 1. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Image © Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
South elevation and section 2. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Image © Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
Axonometric view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Image © Courtesy of Mestreswåge.
Outside view. Førde's City Hall by Mestreswåge. Photograph © José Hevia. Courtesy of Mestreswåge. Click above to see larger image.
The project has been developed entirely with BIM; new tool for virtual modelling and control of information that allows all disciplines to simultaneously work on the project in all parts of the design process. The software allow for a high level of control in themes such as cost control and the energy performance of the building. Mestres Wåge has 12 years of experience with these tools. MestresWågeArquitectes is one of the first studies, based in Spain, that taking advantage of this system constructs a building.
Description of the project by Mestreswåge
In 2014 the new city hall of Førde was officially opened. The work has been carried out by the Barcelona based office Mestres Wåge Arquitectes in collaboration with the Førde based firm Nordplan AS. Together they won the competition organized by the municipality of Førde with the aim to place all public services of the town into one single building.
Førde is a town in Norway with approximately 10000 inhabitants. It is an important regional centre for commerce, education and health services. Every summer they host the Førde International folk music Festival.
The Town hall develops new public spaces and fits into the current urban strategy of increased density in the city centre. The building opens up towards the river. An open-air amphitheater has been designed to connect the urban space to the river. The building has a clear character but is adapted to its environment, answers to the needs of the users and is flexible for change of program.
The solution as proposed by the architects aims to provide a close relationship between citizens and administration/ government, it applies a high degree of transparency that allows for visual contact between the political and administrative activities and the people, furthermore the building is organized around an open air central patio, it opens towards the river and the existing market place through an outdoor porch.
The town hall houses many different departments and services that are distributed on five levels with different public receptions. The building has a skewed layout that permits the creation of porches and terraces. An outdoor staircase through the patio leads to the the canteen, the assembly hall and the main terraces. The rhythm of openings in the façade and the skewed layout facilitate daylight to all the interior public spaces and offices and provide fantastic views towards the surroundings and the patio. The decision to create the central patio, the skewed layout, the cuts through the building mass create an interior with a rich variety of spaces. The offices are located in the optimal 10,80 wide part of the building and along the facades. The spaces of public relation and social break- rooms are placed in the wider spaces to favor a dynamic work environment.
The project has been developed entirely with BIM; new tool for virtual building modeling and control of information that allows all disciplines to simultaneously work on the project in all parts of the design process. In this case, the project team was in five different European locations. The use of this software/ method permits the creation of a virtual model that makes it possible to control the cost, the energetic performance and the general quality of the project. The experience of the architects in this field has given a smooth response to all requirements in the process avoiding excessive costs that is quite common in this kind of work in Norway. The project is finished at only 3% over cost estimates, which is normal considering increased prices and inflation.
The office has collaborated with the Førde based architect office Nordplan AS. As a result of this collaboration Mestres Wåge together with Nordplan are working on an extension of the Central hospital in Førde, and have developed various studies on the further development of the city center of Førde that are being used in the formulation of the new urban plan for the town center.
Text.- Mestreswåge.
CREDITS. TECHNICAL SHEET.-
Architect.- Mestres Wåge Arquitectes, Nordplan.
Collaborators.- C. Almoyna, E. Strønstad. Project Manager.- Nordplan. Systems.- Norconsult. Structure.- Norconsult.
Fire.- Norconsult. Construction company.- Åsen & Øvrelid.
Dates.- International competition.- 2009. Works.- 2011-14 .
Surface: 9,150 sqm
Budget.- 30.000.000 €)
Client.- Public. Municipality of Førde.
More information
ARQUITECTES MESTRESWÅGE
Mestres Wåge Arquitectes was founded by Maria Mestres and Magnus Wåge in 2005 and is a studio with an international vocation, based in Barcelona with strategic partners in Norway and Portugal.
They believe in creativity as key element in realizing complex projects and in an open and inclusive architecture that adapts to change. In short, the projects are developed considering the lifespan of the building.
The work method is based on collaboration and dialogue, between professionals and client. To make this easier the projects are developed in BIM, a work tool that they have 12 years of experience with, and that permits exchange of information, formal control of the architecture, economy and program.
Magnus Wåge is coordinator of the 3rd year in the Bergen School of architecture(Norway), Maria Mestres is member of the BIM board of the COAC (catalán architect unión). Both are members of Building SMART Spanish Chapter.
