The commission

Nesflaten is a village in Rogaland region and is suffering from 'rural desertification'. where the supermarket-shop closed in 2011. In order to help attract families to Nesflaten (which would also enable the school and the shop to remain open), the image of the village needs to be revitalised.

The project in Nesflaten therefore focuses on the only commercial building in the village - "Sentrumsbygget" ("The Central Building"). The aim of the project is to completely transform the form and function of this building through an innovative and ambitious art project.

The artwork

The artwork Views will transform "Sentrumsbygget" and is designed by the Danish artist Jeppe Hein. It takes the form of a rooftop installation as a portal to explore the mountainous area surrounding the village.

In 2016, the architectural firm Snøhetta joined the project to work on the integration of the building with the artwork. This collaboration ensures that the whole building will be transformed with the process of realising the artwork and opens up the potential of the whole building to meet the future needs and wishes of the village.

Views is a project that takes into account the local history. Through the use of aluminium on the roof, the project connects the artwork to the history of the village. In Nesflaten is the site of a hydroelectric power plant built for Norsk Hydro to provide electricity for aluminium production. Still operational today, the hydroelectric plant is an important part of the village's identity.

The hydroelectric power station, housing and hotel surrounding it were designed by the Norwegian architect Geir Grung in the 1960s and are now part of the National Scenic Route as one of the highlights. With its industrial and agricultural architecture and the oldest building in the region (1281), Views will be another key element of the scenic tour known as the "Architectural Route". This project, which is already attracting visitors with a passion for architecture and design, will serve as a highlight along the route and a tool for the village to develop a sustainable approach to tourism and quality of life in the countryside.

The artists

Jeppe Hein lives and works in Berlin. He is known for his attention to the viewer's experience in his work, often using architectural elements and new technologies in his conceptual works.

Snøhetta is an international architecture, urban planning, design and landscape architecture firm based in Oslo, New York, Hong Kong, Paris, Innsbruck and Adelaïde. Created in 1989, its first project is the UNESCO commission for the Alexandria Library welcoming a cultural center and a library. Then Snøhetta conceived other big such as the Oslo Opera House, the 9/11 Memorial in New York, or the extension and renovation of the San Franciso Museum of Modern Art. In France, Snøhetta works on several projects including the recent delivery of Le Monde Group head office, the new Pleyel neighbourhood in Saint-Denis, the rehabilitation of the National Dramatic Center Nanterre Amandiers and the building of the Planétarium of Douai.