
Fjords Underwater Floating Sauna invites participants to design a unique underwater sauna experience beneath the frozen UNESCO Nærøyfjord. Scandinavia’s fjords were carved by glaciers over millions of years, resulting in these iconic landscapes with steep cliffs and deep waterways. Nærøyfjord is one of Norway’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, recognized for their outstanding natural beauty and cultural significance – the place that inspired the cinematic creation of Frozen’s Arendelle.
The competition asks for the creative design of a floating piece of architecture with a completely submerged glazed sauna that looks beneath the water’s icy surface of the Nærøyfjord UNESCO world heritage site. The vision is to create an architectural marvel that not only offers an unparalleled sensory experience but also grounds itself in this dramatic and inspiring landscape through the choice of design and materiality. It should be an enterprising design that gives back to its surroundings and actually benefits the local wildlife.
All proposals are expected to demonstrate a clear architectural response to the brief, considering a high level of sustainability and wildlife conservation with a minimal impact structure that has a light touch within the landscape while benefiting the ecology of the area. As demonstrated by the surrounding ancient settlements, humans once lived in harmony with their surroundings, benefitting from the earth without destroying it.
Prizes:
All entries will be published and promoted across Larsen Architects global platforms.
- 1st Prize
- £500 in GBP
- Free 1-year subscription to Larsen UNLIMITED (worth £199)
- Certificate of Achievement
- 2nd Prize
- £200 in GBP
- Free 1-year subscription to Larsen UNLIMITED (worth £199)
- Certificate of Achievement
- Public Favourite
- Free 1-year subscription to Larsen UNLIMITED (worth £199)
- Certificate of Achievement
- Honourable Mentions
- Free 1-year subscription to Larsen UNLIMITED (worth £199)
- Certificate of Achievement