Karmøy Fishery Museum

Karmøy is a Norwegian island off the west coast. Its name is derived from the Old Norse phrase Kormt, which means "shelter". Fishing has long been the backbone of life here. The Fishery Museum was built in 1998 as a result of the industry's rich heritage. Snhetta architects designed a bold and dramatic architecture for the museum that absorbs and becomes a part of its immediate surroundings.

The Fishery Museum's restricted budget led in a modest yet extremely relevant and contextual structure. It is located on a small inlet and is bordered by hillocks and scattered dwellings. The whole design is comprised of a single extended rectangular frame of in-situ concrete. There are just a few windows along the two long sides, but one enormous window at the end of the wall facing the lake brings in a lot of light to the gray concrete interior, which is connected to the second and third floors by a simple wooden stairway. Visitors enter the museum from the landside and are instantly drawn to the vista of the fjord beyond the large display room. The emphasis is evident here: the collections held within match to the natural environment outside.

Location: Slettavikvegen 26, 4276 Karmøy