- Location
- Bergen, Norway
- Year
- 1998-2003
- Client
- Statsbygg for The department of church affairs, education and research
- Design By
- NSW Sivilarkitekter AS
The new building for the pre-clinic institutes, at the University of Bergen rises up the hillside, at the same time as the volumes and the architectural expression attempts to reach out to the surrounding buildings of Haukeland hospital. This is particularly so to the north where the base of the BBB building responds to the height and scale of the neighboring buildings. This is also the location of the main entrance to the building.
The main volumes are emphasized by the outdoor atrium located between the first and third floors and an internal glazed atrium from the second to the seventh floor. The two atria are linked by a twelve meter high amphitheatre directly adjoining the main entrance. This is the building’s informal meeting place. Bridges connect the building masses at each end of the glazed atrium. The lecture theatres, library, and canteen are all located close to the atrium and the internal glazed atrium. The public is lead from the glazed atrium directly into the three auditoria, to the library and through a corridor to the group workroom and the computer room.
The BBB-building replaces the excavated volume. It was therefore natural to utilize some of the mountains massiveness in the stone clad base at the junction between the building and the landscape.