Operahuset i Oslo

Operahuset i Oslo is Norway’s national opera house and home to the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. Snøhetta designed the building as a public work of architecture beside the Oslofjord. Its white granite and Italian Carrara marble surfaces form a roof that slopes towards the ground. Visitors can walk across the broad sloping roof. The raised path opens views towards Oslo and the water, while the building remains wheelchair accessible. The tall stage tower carries white aluminium cladding. Inside, oak surfaces warm the lobby, where tall windows bring daylight and water views into the building. Thin angled columns support the roof without blocking the lobby’s wide views. Opera and ballet performances use the main auditorium and two additional spaces. The horseshoe-shaped main auditorium contains an oval chandelier made with handmade crystals. Each seat has a monitor for following the electronic libretto. The building also presents art, including She Lies, a stainless-steel and glass sculpture beside the fjord. Wind and tides move the sculpture on its concrete platform. A perforated Olafur Eliasson panel uses hexagonal openings and light to suggest melting ice. Pae White designed the main curtain to resemble crumpled aluminium foil. Together, the roof, lobby, auditorium and artworks connect Oslo’s cultural building with the waterfront.