Fish-farming facility by Snøhetta bridges rocky outcrops in Norway

A curved volume wrapped in black-glass panels stretches between two rocky outcrops at Ånderkleiva, the headquarters of a fishing company in Norway, by architecture studio Snøhetta.

Located on a narrow plot in the northern municipality of Ibestad, the 1,510-square-metre building has been created for Magne Arvesen & Sønner on a site adjacent to its existing fish pens.

Ånderkleiva's defining feature is its upper levels, which are wrapped in black glass and curve between two rocky outcrops, supported in the middle by a large concrete column wrapped in Corten steel.

According to Snøhetta, this design was intended to echo the surrounding hills while ensuring the interiors look forward towards the sea and the company's aquaculture facilities.

"The curved shape is a direct response to the site conditions," Snøhetta architect Marius Hauland Næss told Dezeen.

"By anchoring the structure at both ends and pushing the centre outward toward the sea, we achieved a sweeping arc that creates a striking experience: a taut outer facade facing the ocean, the fish pens, and the elements, and a sheltered inner side nestled against the mountain," added Hauland.

Inside, Ånderkleiva contains office spaces, industrial halls, storage facilities and an aquaculture learning and innovation centre. Its elevated positioning means it is accessed from two levels, and there is space for large vehicles and machinery to pass beneath it.

Office areas are reached from a road linking to the fourth floor, while the learning centre is accessed at ground level.

The facade of the upper volume, which is wrapped in black glass with stainless steel fins, was designed to reflect the landscape, creating an ever-changing elevation for the building.

"The facade was deliberately designed as a reflective glass surface that mirrors its surroundings, especially the dramatic views and shifting weather and light conditions," explained Hauland.

"The experience of the facade changes depending on where you stand along its curve," he continued. "The vertical stainless steel profiles are also reflective and serve to break up the surface while further amplifying the mirrored effect of the environment."

According to Hauland, the facade design is not a threat to birds, and the client has "not experienced any issues" or collisions since the building’s completion.

The concave rear elevation has a more industrial look, featuring a metal walkway along its length, alongside geometric concrete cladding panels and red window frames.

Ånderkleiva's interiors were designed to facilitate focus while maintaining visual connections, with a mix of rooms with glass partitions and private workspaces for employees.

According to the studio, the heart of the headquarters is the control room, which overlooks the fish pens.

The interiors were finished with an industrial palette, including exposed concrete elements and perforated-metal acoustic panels on the ceilings, chosen to reflect the purpose of the building.

Several red and orange details emulate the buoys of the surrounding water, including the steel framework of the industrial halls.

Outside the main building, Snøhetta has also created a separate storage and office facility with a sawtooth roof and concrete cladding that match the rear elevation of the main office building.

Snøhetta is an architecture and design studio founded by Kjetil Thorsen and Craig Dykers in 1989.

Ånderkleiva is not the first industrial fishing facility by the studio. In 2018, it completed one in Sortlandssundet that is divided into four distinctive buildings with colourful facades.

Elsewhere, Snøhetta is currently developing a mountain-like, mixed-use development in Malaysia and working with Benthem Crouwel Architects to create a Dutch city hall with a "powerful silhouette".

The photography is by Sebastian S Bjerkvik.

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