Crossing programmes

Pathway underneath a hotel

A hotel in Larvik and the public pathway crossing each other on the beach.

Cultural horizon

The culture house of Larvik and the Oslofjord

Art by Matias Faldbakken on the wall of the culture house of Larvik, Norway

Public or private waterfront?

Private waterfront apartments in Giudecca in Venice

In Venice the water is public space. It functions as the main infrastructure to move within the city. Moving on land is merely something extra offered. The relationship between buildings and water is as in a street in an ordinary urban structure. Walls of private houses are also the walls of public space. But is this relationsship seen elsewhere? Some places old warehouses by rivers or canals have been transformed into hotels or apartments, where you can catch fish from the balcony or just enjoy the character of the water beneath.

New living in Amsterdam

 

New housing in Amsterdam in the spirit of the old structures of private houses with a narrow front towards the canal. Here different architect made their piece. Nice, but a bit disappointing when you find that the houses are copied and pasted through several blocks on this island.

Public bathhouse

 

 

 

Public bathhouse in Hellesylt, Norway.

Ypsilon

 

 

 

The footbridge "Ypsilon" connecting to the new riverfront in Drammen, Norway

Balcony on water

 

Private balcony towards the public waterfront in Drammen, Norway

Wooden riverfront in Drammen

 

 

 

 

Parts of the riverfront construction in wood in front of Drammen railway station.

Drammen - from dust to success

 

Drammen used to be Norway`s dirty city, forgotten in the shadow of the motorway bridge and with a cold river stream dividing it. But after years of consistent work the city is shining again. The focus has been turned towards the river. The motorway-bridge is still there, and doubled in size, but designed to reflect the light to the areas below where also artists have added their work to the public space.

Dutch waters

In the Netherlands the water is always present, and the Dutch people has built their identity as they have worked with water to create new land and a society.
Amsterdam, the river by Amstel where they made a dam, is a good example of how urban life and dynamic waterways are connected together in a complex system. And this complexity is present in everything built. Dikes protect the land from the North sea and strong rivers. Canals distribute water with the pressure needed. Houses have to be built on sand layers 11 or 21 meters down and the building of the new Metro is a real challenge as the engineers have to solve the problem of stability in the ground when the ground water is disturbed.