An Illustrated Guide to Oslo, Courtesy of Norway’s Coolest Design Firm Snøhetta
Oslo-based design firm Snøhetta shares its favorite places in the Norwegian capital, from a hidden cocktail bar to the best Christmas market.
Snøhetta deserves at least some of the credit for the world’s ongoing obsession with modern Scandinavian design. In the past few years, this Oslo-based design and architecture firm has made everything from the angular glass pavilion for New York City s National September 11 Memorial Museumn to the pixelated landscapes on Norway’s updated banknotes. The firm’s aesthetic is bold yet sleek, intellectual, and at times slightly odd. That eclectic mix makes Snøhetta’s designers perfect guides to Norway’s capital. Here, in words and pictures, they share their favorite things to do in Oslo—a list that includes river hikes and a jazz-punk band that promises to “fuck up your Monday.” (The band performs only on Sundays.) Check out all of Snøhetta’s selections below.
Illustration: Rikard Jaucis1/7River walk
“A couple of clicks above the city you’ll find Frysja along the Akerselva, Oslo’s urban river. Here you can go for a swim or walk through an old nail factory turned studio space for artists. Ask nicely and you will probably get a tour by one of the 54 artists who work there. If you’re the sporty type, Maridalsvannet, the largest lake in Oslo, is a short walk further upstream—you’re guaranteed spectacular views.”
— Rikard Jaucis, Architect
Illustration: Romana Suitner2/7Funky Fresh Foods at the Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture
“At DogA eat its fresh vegan food, a healthy kale smoothie, and one of its gorgeous, mouthwatering gluten-free raw cakes while taking in a design talk or strolling through its famous designers Christmas Market.”
— Romana Suitner, Senior Architect
Illustration: Stian Alessandro Ekkernes Rossi3/7Blå on Sundays with the Frank Znort Quartet
“The Frank Znort Quartet is a jazz-punk band consisting of 21 members. They play live every Sunday, with the motto ‘We fuck up your Mondays,’ at Blå, a jazz club located on the river.”
— Stian Alessandro Ekkernes Rossi, Architect
Illustration: Kelly Tigera4/7Norwegian National Opera Ballet
“The roof is accessible 24/7. It’s my favorite public space in Oslo, even just for people watching. Sometimes it hosts performances—from the opera Carmen to Justin Bieber shows!”
—Kelly Tigera, Communications Business Development Manager
Illustration: Jorunn Sannes5/7Lærernes hus
“This is a surprisingly modern building covered with art, located between two old townhouses. Through a composition of letters and numbers, printed on a mirror, a pattern emerges around the glass façade. It’s the conference center for the Norwegian Union of Education—and, admittedly, it’s not designed by Snøhetta, but by Element Arkitekter, also based in Oslo.”
—Jorunn Sannes, Artist
