Snøhetta is designing Europe’s first underwater restaurant in Norway, which will let you dine on the seabed.
Dubbed ‘Under’, the concrete capsule-like structure will be built at the southernmost part of Norway, close to the village of Båly. The monolithic structure will be half anchored on the land, as if it’s slipping into the sea.
Snøhetta’s Under will be set over three levels. Visitors to the building will start at the tidal pool level, before descending a floor into the champagne bar, which marks the division between the shoreline and the ocean, visible through a vertical window opening. Its subdued colour scheme is inspired by the muted shades of rocks and sand.
Its 100-cover restaurant sits at the base of the building, resting on the seabed 5 metres below the water surface.
‘Like a sunken periscope, the restaurant’s massive acrylic windows offer a view of the seabed as it changes throughout the seasons and varying weather conditions,’ says the practice. The dining room’s colour scheme will also evoke the dark blue and green tones of the sea floor.
In addition to the restaurant, Under will also function as a marine research centre, and act as an artificial mussel reef.
‘Outside opening hours, parts of the restaurant will be dedicated to a marine biology research center welcoming interdisciplinary research teams studying marine biology and fish behavior,’ says Snøhetta.
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