The synergetic potential of the offshore industry and urban development. Part of "Stavanger-European Capital of Culture 2008", Kjerringholmen, Stavanger, Norway, 2008, Project-Team: SHS, RK, MBV, BEA, RA

Client: Stavanger Kommune

At once a study and a construction project, Offshore Culture is part of “Stavanger’s European Capital of Culture” programme for the year 2008. Its theme is the relationship between the uniqueness of both the material and knowledge bases used in the offshore oil industry and its transfer value to architecture and urban development.

The site is a centrally located, 1.5-acre waterfront plaza adjacent to Stavanger’s Oil Museum. It exists as the museum’s outdoor science centre, youth park and a venue site for medium to large events. The program and main exposition of Offshore Culture was developed through an extensive collaborative workshop process to achieve the synergistic level needed to fuse user needs with the offshore culture theme.

Official regulatory considerations regarding the festival area, view axes, existing trees and parking requirements were established. Workshops with youth identified personal preferences as to proximity to the water, grass areas, skateboarding activities, and places for shelter. The museum workshops explored possible features for a science-centre that could draw on specialized offshore-industry expertise, such as structural geological principles for the formation of oil, seismology, pressure issues, and the on-site application of objects used in offshore installations.

This process produced a six theme-related attractor – arena-type seating, water zone, picnic knoll, recycling park, energy dome and ‘sonic forest’.

In parallel, as an overarching topographical concept, a cross-sectional geologic model of the deep sea Troll oil reservoir at a 1:1500 scale will be utilized. A set of digital 3-D ‘basin models’, built using advanced seismology and simulation programmes, allows the recreation of these specific sedimentary layers found 2,000-3,000m below the seafloor, revealing landscapes from the Jurassic period when oil was being formed.

Many of these programmatic ideas suggest a topographic model, for instance a beach zone, picnic area, festival space with arena, stage, skate ramps and benches. The geological premises for the formation of oil, such as the unique layering of sedimentary rock, is visualised by way of cross-sectioning. The dynamic aspect of the oil formation process, from secondary migration to temperatures and pressurization, will form part of an ‘animated illumination’ concept at the venue.

Furnishings and science-centre installations will be created with the reuse of decommissioned oil platform elements. For instance, giant satellite dishes from the Frigg field will be turned into windbreaks and graffiti walls while at the same time allowing the principle of sound transmission to be experienced. The Frigg helipad will become the stage, while various tubing and tanks will be cut to form windbreaks and shelters.

The area topography of three sedimentary layers is to be constructed as individual shell structures in fibre-reinforced concrete, thermoplastics and a dynamic illumination layer. Some sections will be laid with actual rock types such as clay, slate and grit.