After winning first prize in a 2009 competition, Danish firms COBE and Transform collaborated once again to design the new Maritime Museum and Exploratorium, which opened its doors to the public today in the Porsgrunn Harbor in Norway.

Incorporating Porsgrunn's industrial surroundings in its design, the new museum was built to become a contemporary landmark and bring more attention to the river, long considered as the town's "backside."



The new museum has already gained some recognition even before today's grand opening. Just last month, it received the Porsgrunn Municipality’s building practice prize 2013 (“Byggeskikkpris”).

Here's more info on the museum's design:

"The new museum will tell the story of the town’s dock yard industry and its maritime history, which has employed thousands of people from the whole region. In addition, the attractive location of the museum right on the riverside opens up an important process for the city concerning the future extensive urban renewal of the entire Porsgrunn Harbor area."



"The new Maritime Museum and Exploratorium is composed of eleven smaller square volumes, together amounting to almost 2,000 m2. Each volume has a different roof slant that assembled make up a varied roof structure. A characteristic aluminum facade, locally produced in Porsgrunn, not only holds the dynamic building structure together, but at the same time it reflects light and colors from the surrounding Norwegian mountain landscape."



"Dan Stubbergaard, Founder and Creative Director of COBE, elaborates: 'It is a sensitive art adding new to old in a historic area. First of all we wanted to understand the area’s characteristics and then we wanted to strengthen it but at the same time create something new and contrasting...'"

"'The abrupt building structure of downscaled building volumes and the expressive roof profile are for example clear references to the area’s historic small wooden buildings, which all have their own particular roof profiles. This interpretation of the area’s pitched roofs and small wooden building entities sets the final frame for a unique and characteristic contemporary building.'"

Project details:

Porsgrunn Maritime Museum and Exploratorium
Porsgrunn, Norway

Client: Telemark Museum
Architects: COBE and TRANSFORM
Engineers: Sweco
Gross area: 2.000 m²
Construction period: 2011-2013
Total construction costs: 34 mio. DKK
Assignment type: First prize in competition in 2009
Photographers: Adam Mørk og Rasmus Hjortshøj

Click the thumbnails to see additional images.