Skreda Roadside Rest Area
The new project aims to establish an inviting floor where travelers can find pleasure in searching for seating and from where they can enjoy the beautiful view across the water. The platform is subordinate to the landscape, yet its convex geometry contributes to place the visitors in an exposed, but secure position in the center of the large open space.
The new project consists of the platform which is constructed of steel sheets spanning between concrete foundations. These foundations form floors for the furniture, ramps and stair. The furniture consists of benches, tables and railings all structurally interdependent, all made from bent standard flat steel bolted or welded together to form stable elements. There are thirty different surfaces to sit on and by. Each piece has a different pattern in solid colours painted on the steel surface, covered with a cast of clear polyurethane. This material is warmer to touch than steel and highly reflective; mirroring the ever-changing sky. The painted pattern indicates the construction of the furniture. Each piece is only directly connected to two legs, the third supporting leg is placed outside the piece itself, as part of the adjoining handrail. I this way a triangular pattern is established.
The geometry of the overall organization of the area is rooted in driving patterns and the magnificent view of Nappstraumen. The design of the different elements is the result of rational considerations about function and building processes and an irrational affinity for curved lines and solid colours.
Steel, concrete, polyurethane