reiulf ramstad arkitekter to extend oslo’s fram museum with new wooden wing

reiulf ramstad arkitekter has revealed plans to extend the ‘fram museum’, an institution in oslo dedicated to polar exploration and environmental education. named ‘framtid’, the norwegian word for ‘future’, the project is the result of an invited architectural competition. the museum faces the city center from the peninsula of bygdøy, a site that is home to multiple cultural and maritime museums, as well as parks and gardens for locals and visitors alike.

all images © reiulf ramstad arkitekter

alongside ships and other important artifacts, the centerpiece of the museum is ‘fram’ — a vessel that symbolizes norway’s significant participation in the heroic age of polar exploration. designed by reiulf ramstad arkitekter, the new wing adds gathering places, exhibition space, a café, and an auditorium to the current installations. oriented towards the water, the long and simple footprint of the new structure aligns itself with the site’s other buildings.

simplifying orientation for visitors, access to the café is found by the newly accessible shore and boat shuttle at the northern edge of the site. the architects explain that the exhibition spaces, deep in the building, offer full light control for sensory experiences, and connect to the three other wings through passageways. elsewhere, gathering places are generously lit by the glass façade opening towards the fjord. meanwhile, school classes or large groups of visitors can meet at a flexible outdoor amphitheater.

as an important aspect of polar expeditions was research on climate and the environment, a sustainable approach was employed to minimize the project’s environmental impact. made from locally sourced timber, the simple, full-span wooden hull provides flexibility in adapting to changing needs, while concrete is limited to infrastructure elements. glass is used sparingly, where its impact is the strongest, such as towards the fjord and the surrounding vegetation. see other projects by reiulf ramstad arkitekter on designboom here.

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project info:

name: the new fram museum
type: culture

location: oslo, norway

program: fram museum extension

client: the fram museum 

size: new extension of 2,600m sqm
commission type: invited competition 2020
design team: reiulf ramstad arkitekter

photo credits: reiulf ramstad arkitekter