The project is a triumph of the provision of facilities in a sensitive spot, enhancing the place rather than hiding it coyly beneath an architectural fig leaf
On the inhospitable and remote far-northern coast of Norway, a strange serpentine structure lies draped across the shore. Like a fossilised sea monster exposed by erosion, the shuttered concrete form winds around the site, taking visitors down from the road to a picnic table that is sheltered from the elements but exposed to the majestic view. The long path is determined by the necessity of providing access down the steep grade of the beach, but the architects have made a virtue of this, transforming the ramp into an architectural promenade prolonging the discovery of the landscape. As well as eating facilities, the structure also incorporates a barbecue and bike shed, and, at its upper end, lavatories, contriving to separate the latter without the need for obtrusive structures that would damage the natural beauty of the environment. It is a triumph of confidence in the provision of facilities in a sensitive spot, which turns to the power of building to enhance a place rather than hiding it coyly beneath an architectural fig leaf.
