Stunning DnB Building looks like a green-roofed stairway to heaven in Norway

Norway’s mixed-use Barcode district is no stranger to eye-catching architecture. As part of a redevelopment plan for Oslo’s post-industrial harbor, Dark created the DnB West-Building, a glass-and-granite office building terraced and topped with accessible green roofs. The sequence of terraces creates the appearance of a giant staircase and is designed to allow sunlight to pass into the neighboring apartment building.

The West Building was completed as part of DnB’s three-building headquarters, a competition-winning design that Dark created in collaboration with MVRDV and A-Lab. Each firm was responsible for a different part of the building trio. Dark’s 15-story office building accommodates 600 occupants and is connected to the other two DnB buildings through an underground concourse that houses meeting rooms, a canteen, and other communal spaces. Above ground, the DnB West Building features street-level shops, food vendors, and other retail spaces. Offices are stacked atop the commercial properties, while a penthouse restaurant sits at the apex of the building and is accessible via an inclined elevator open to the public.

Each “tread” of the stair-like building is topped with a large roof terrace, while each “riser” features a double-height glazed common room. The landscaped terraces help retain water and include timber seating that overlooks south-facing views of the Oslo Fjord.

Source: inhabitat