Situated in Jevnaker, a small town some 75 kilometers from Oslo, Kistefos is a collection of three landscapes that overlap and intertwine: a natural one of rivers, waterfalls, islands, canyons, and forests; an industrial one of mills, factories, warehouses, power plants, dams, and bridges; and a sculptural one of abstract objects in the dramatic topography of rocks, flora, and water.

The project suggests a raw and simple form that challenges and responds to the landscape. It is a sculpture, a building, and a bridge – all in one. The volume is placed as a bridge spanning the waters, connecting the two edges of the site. A simple twist in the building volume allows the bridge to lift from the relatively lower forested area towards the south up to the hillside area in the north. As a result, the interior offers three very different galleries: on the north, a wide daylit gallery, on the south a tall dark one with artificial lighting, and, in between, a sculptural space with a twisted sliver of rooflight.

The cladding is built with straight aluminum extrusions that are shifted slightly to form the double curved facade. This design allows the overall geometry to appear smooth and perfectly curved from a distance, while creating a texture in detail, once the visitor approaches the building.