Underwater Restaurant Has Been Completed In Norway And It Looks Out Of This World
Li BoredPanda staff
The first, the largest and the most research-friendly. Under is the world’s largest underwater restaurant with a total seating capacity for 100 guests, it’s the first of its kind in Europe, and it also functions as a research center for marine life. The Snøhetta-designed dining experience started operating just yesterday but people are already adding it to their Norway destination lists.
More info: snohetta.com
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
In Norwegian, ‘under’ means both ‘below’ and ‘wonder.’ Half-sunken into the sea, the building’s 111-foot long monolithic form breaks the surface of the water to rest on the seabed below. Taking it a step further, the structure is built to eventually fully integrate into its marine environment, as the roughness of the concrete shell will function as an artificial reef, welcoming limpets and kelp to inhabit it.
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
Thick concrete walls allow it to withstand pressure and shock from the rugged sea conditions and, like a sunken periscope, the restaurant’s massive panoramic window offers a view of the seabed as it changes throughout the seasons and varying weather conditions.
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
Image credits: snohetta
“Under is a natural progression of our experimentation with boundaries,” Snøhetta Founder and Architect, Kjetil Trædal Thorsen said. “As a new landmark for Southern Norway, Under proposes unexpected combinations of pronouns and prepositions, and challenges what determines a person’s physical placement in their environment.”
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
Image credits: underlindesnes
“In this building, you may find yourself underwater, over the seabed, between land and sea. This will offer you new perspectives and ways of seeing the world, both beyond and beneath the waterline.”
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
Image credits: underlindesnes
The restaurant focuses to create a fine dining experience based on high quality, locally-sourced produce, emphasizing on sustainable wildlife capture. Danish expatriate Nicolai Ellitsgaard from the acclaimed restaurant Måltid in Kristiansand is the Head Chef, bringing an international, 16-person kitchen team with experience from top Michelin restaurants.
Image credits: under
Image credits: under
In Norway, Lindesnes is known for its intense weather conditions, which can change from calm to stormy several times a day. Upon arriving at the site, the visitor’s impressions of the unruly outdoors quickly dissolve as they are ushered through into the hushed, oak-clad foyer. The rich interiors create a warm, welcoming atmosphere inside the restaurant.
Image credits: Inger Marie Grini
Image credits: Inger Marie Grini
As a metaphor for descending from land to sea, textile-clad ceiling panels reference the colors of a sunset dropping into the ocean, accompanying one climbing down the stairs. Moreover, the elegance of the finely woven ceiling panels provides the building with a serene ambiance.
Image credits: underlindesnes
Image credits: underlindesnes
The furniture perfectly represents the philosophy of the whole project as well; to build solid structures for the future without compromising the natural beauty that lies inherent in the raw materials.
Image credits: http://www.ingermariegrini.no/
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
But Under isn’t just a restaurant. The building also houses a marine research facility. It welcomes interdisciplinary research teams that will be able to study marine biology and fish behavior through cameras and other measurement tools that are installed on and outside the facade of the restaurant. They will be able to document the population, behavior, and diversity of species that live in the surrounding areas. The goal of the research is to collect data that can be programmed into machine learning tools that monitor the population dynamics of key marine species on a regular basis.
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
Image credits: underlindesnes
According to Snøhetta, Under is a story of contrasts: the contrast between the landscape and the sea as well as above and below. The project underscores the delicate ecological balance between land and sea and draws our attention to sustainable models for responsible consumption.
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
It emphasizes the coexistence of life on land and in the sea and introduces a new way of understanding our relationship with our surroundings – above the surface, under the water, and alongside the life of the sea.
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
Image credits: Ivar Kvaal
“For most of us, this is a totally new world experience. It’s not an aquarium, it’s the wildlife of the North Sea. That makes it much more interesting. It takes you directly into the wildness,” Rune Grasdal, lead architect of Under, told Dezeen. “If the weather is bad, it’s very rough. It’s a great experience, and to sit here and be safe, allowing the nature so close into you. It’s a very romantic and nice experience.”
Image credits: Snøhetta
Image credits: Snøhetta
“The idea was to make a tube that would bring people from above sea level down under the sea,” Grasdal said. “That transition is easy to understand, but it’s also the most effective way to do it. It also feels secure, but you don’t feel trapped.”
Image credits: Snøhetta
Image credits: Snøhetta
Popular on Bored Panda
See Also on Bored Panda
What do you think ?
Wow, i want to go there, like soon.... but my bank account said to go to work instead.
Actually, it should not be so bad: a flight to Stavanger or Kristiansand and a rental car will do the trick. And if you do not go in summer, prices in Norway can be quite reasonable.
@Oscar: Lindesness is in the very south west corner of Norway. From Tromsø it will be a 24 hour drive including feries, and a hefty road toll bill.
It would depend on where you are flying from. I'm near Atlanta, Ga, USA. The flight would be $1,700. I would need to fly in the day before my dinner reservation, get a hotel room, go to dinner the next day, stay at the hotel that night, then fly out the day after that. So two nights stay would be about $250. The one dinner would cost about $350. Add a rental car for two days for $200. So, $2,500 for a unique dinning experience (that's not counting other meals and expenses). If I was rich, I would totally do it. In the mean time, I'll just add that to my bucket list. The next available reservation is in October. A lot could happen between now and then. Who knows.
umm sorry to say it. take the flight to body or tromsø. instead. stavanger...weell my god sir, you will have to drive the whole contry to get there hehe
see yourself there before you cancel the trip in your mind.
Same =')
Very cool if this is your thing. But it looks very dark, claustrophobic and no thanks to me.
...and resembling a 'washed ashore casket' doesn't help the appetite.
I think it's king of sad for some reason, I just don't understand why people need to keep mass producing. This does nothing for nature, only more stuff for people to want and more to spend their money on. Maybe I am alone in this thought.
How is this mass producing? You say it does nothing for nature and yet the article outlines how the research centre within the building works. If money from customers goes on to pay for research then that’s a positive. I’d say that wishing to see nature up close and in a new environment is not ‘stuff’, it’s an experience that hopefully will change the way people see the environment around them and bring a greater respect for the wider planet. You probably are alone in that thought because it is illogical.
what a totally retarded comment
Hey, on the upside when the world is just one big ocean we can live under the sea in sea colonies.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No Jo Bebe; you are not alone. I agree.
I understand the fact that this food is supposed to be special and extra delicious, but the proportions are just so small. The restaurant is beautiful, obviously, but this kind of "gourmet" food just seems so unfulfilling.
People who complain about this haven’t tried it. Yes one course is small but this is a five course meal at least. If it was bigger, you’d get full halfway through.
Fine dining is meant to give you a culinary experience with high-quality ingredients, not fill you up.
There will be an 18-course dinner. That is why each portion is only a mouthful.
European meal portions are by design smaller that American portions; and therefore, Europeans of far healthier and less obese that Americans. Blessings!
What?!?! You mean it won't be like a Big Mac with extra large fries? Hahahahaha!
There is a set menu and you better not be in a hurry because it will take several hours: Immersion MenuNOK 2 250, (233 Euros, 199 Pound Sterling, 262 USD) Wine Pairing NOK 1 450, Juice Pairing NOK 850. All prices include 25% VAT, and are subject to change. (https://under.no/food)
I would totally have to get the wine too. I don't think it would be complete without that. I do appreciate that they have juice pairings too, though.
They also look unappetizing
That was my thought exactly. You wallet had best be FULL and you'd best eat a meal before you go there - this is child's portions. Playground for the rich and famous.
A meal there will cost around 2000 norwegian kroner = 235 USD. There is a reservation fee of 1000 kroner. They had 1200 reservations already a year ago and it is booked past september.
Wow, i want to go there, like soon.... but my bank account said to go to work instead.
Actually, it should not be so bad: a flight to Stavanger or Kristiansand and a rental car will do the trick. And if you do not go in summer, prices in Norway can be quite reasonable.
@Oscar: Lindesness is in the very south west corner of Norway. From Tromsø it will be a 24 hour drive including feries, and a hefty road toll bill.
It would depend on where you are flying from. I'm near Atlanta, Ga, USA. The flight would be $1,700. I would need to fly in the day before my dinner reservation, get a hotel room, go to dinner the next day, stay at the hotel that night, then fly out the day after that. So two nights stay would be about $250. The one dinner would cost about $350. Add a rental car for two days for $200. So, $2,500 for a unique dinning experience (that's not counting other meals and expenses). If I was rich, I would totally do it. In the mean time, I'll just add that to my bucket list. The next available reservation is in October. A lot could happen between now and then. Who knows.
umm sorry to say it. take the flight to body or tromsø. instead. stavanger...weell my god sir, you will have to drive the whole contry to get there hehe
see yourself there before you cancel the trip in your mind.
Same =')
Very cool if this is your thing. But it looks very dark, claustrophobic and no thanks to me.
...and resembling a 'washed ashore casket' doesn't help the appetite.
I think it's king of sad for some reason, I just don't understand why people need to keep mass producing. This does nothing for nature, only more stuff for people to want and more to spend their money on. Maybe I am alone in this thought.
How is this mass producing? You say it does nothing for nature and yet the article outlines how the research centre within the building works. If money from customers goes on to pay for research then that’s a positive. I’d say that wishing to see nature up close and in a new environment is not ‘stuff’, it’s an experience that hopefully will change the way people see the environment around them and bring a greater respect for the wider planet. You probably are alone in that thought because it is illogical.
what a totally retarded comment
Hey, on the upside when the world is just one big ocean we can live under the sea in sea colonies.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No Jo Bebe; you are not alone. I agree.
I understand the fact that this food is supposed to be special and extra delicious, but the proportions are just so small. The restaurant is beautiful, obviously, but this kind of "gourmet" food just seems so unfulfilling.
People who complain about this haven’t tried it. Yes one course is small but this is a five course meal at least. If it was bigger, you’d get full halfway through.
Fine dining is meant to give you a culinary experience with high-quality ingredients, not fill you up.
There will be an 18-course dinner. That is why each portion is only a mouthful.
European meal portions are by design smaller that American portions; and therefore, Europeans of far healthier and less obese that Americans. Blessings!
What?!?! You mean it won't be like a Big Mac with extra large fries? Hahahahaha!
There is a set menu and you better not be in a hurry because it will take several hours: Immersion MenuNOK 2 250, (233 Euros, 199 Pound Sterling, 262 USD) Wine Pairing NOK 1 450, Juice Pairing NOK 850. All prices include 25% VAT, and are subject to change. (https://under.no/food)
I would totally have to get the wine too. I don't think it would be complete without that. I do appreciate that they have juice pairings too, though.
They also look unappetizing
That was my thought exactly. You wallet had best be FULL and you'd best eat a meal before you go there - this is child's portions. Playground for the rich and famous.
A meal there will cost around 2000 norwegian kroner = 235 USD. There is a reservation fee of 1000 kroner. They had 1200 reservations already a year ago and it is booked past september.