MIES - Snohetta's Bjornsrudskog Kindergarten

It's tough to pinpoint what Norwegian architecture is exactly. Traditionally, it's a style of architecture rich with engraved wood, wonderfully crafted stave churches and buildings striking out on prominences. But if there has to be a continual motif, tested and undiminished with time, one would mostly think of Norweigian architecture as thick architecture.

Thick architecture encompasses a lot in contemporary design. It can mean the buffering with insulation or acoustics, the massiveness of slab pretensioned concrete or composite steel members, or it can mean something simpler, like a thick pile of wood. But given the coolth and extremely low temperatures, Norway has always embraced this thickness gladly and at times, eagerly. One example of this vigor can be found in the work of Snohetta, a design firm which proudly "maintains a strong relationship between the landscape and architecture in all of its projects."

One of the things I like best about this kindergartern designed by Snohetta is that while the overall complexity of the design isn't mindblowing, the wood that is very traditional is juxtaposed nicely (and quite comfortably) with the concrete that is new. One feels a certain "sandwiching" effect too between the window panes and the partition walls and the interiors, while plain, become understated and unpretentious given the wealth in means of construction.

Also of note is the lighting, which from multiple angles seems both direct and reflected. In a northern clime, electing to design with a natural white light, which is native to the region, is a smart choice. Overall, Snohetta has many other projects, some of which are algorithmic and/or largely computer-generated. And while those other designs (such as the town hall and the gateway project) show a great deal of skill with a mouse, this one, I feel, goes further to showcase their overall skill at crafting a simple and yet beautiful building.