Built over a river in the Faroese village of Norðragøta is the new Eysturkommuna Town Hall. Designed by Henning Larsen Architects Partner Ósbjørn Jacobsen, who is Faroese, the 750m2 green-roofed town hall exhibits a contemporary approach to one major characteristic of traditional Faroese architecture: blurring the line between nature and building.

The town hall is one of the first new buildings aiming to bring public life back to the center of Norðragøta. The community used to gather at a local beach for special occasions before a major fishing factory moved into town. 

To create a welcoming atmosphere, the building features public terraces and a green roof where people can have picnics or swim in the river, while the interior can accommodate exhibitions, talks, concerts, and other events. Artist Jens Ladekarl Thomsen also created an exterior light and sound installation that draws sounds from its surrounding environment.

“Many contemporary contributions to Faroese architecture directly copy elements from traditional buildings. I find it much more interesting to look into the underlying thoughts of traditional buildings,” Jacobsen describes.

“The primary conceptual idea behind the design of the town hall is driven by the notion of this fleeting line between landscape and building. I believe that could be one way to approach modern Faroese architecture,” he adds.