Building For A Century

The National Museum, Oslo: Building for a Century

The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, located near Aker Brygge and Oslo City Hall, has been designed to last for more than a hundred years.

This ambition is reflected in the choice of materials. Facades are clad in Norwegian slate, windows framed in bronze and marble, entrance areas and staircases in limestone, and walls faced with marble on the lower and upper floors where they are exposed to the elements.

The museum was designed by German architect Klaus Schuwerk, based in Naples. From the outset, the guiding principle was that while the building may appear modern, it is rooted in the classical tradition of enduring architecture. The goal was to create a structure that not only improves with time but also reduces its environmental impact.

Oak Floors with a Story

This philosophy is especially evident in the choice of flooring. Across public areas and more than 90 exhibition rooms, the museum features solid oak planks sourced from European forests and processed in Denmark by Hørning.

Together with Hørning, the architect developed a flooring solution where the planks vary in both length and width, creating a subtle rhythm and a varied laying pattern with borders and precise detailing around the furniture.

The thick planks are deliberately laid with open joints, lending the floor a distinctive character reminiscent of historic plank floors. All oak floors are fully glued and maintained systematically as part of the museum’s ambition that they should endure for at least a century.

Built for Heavy Use

With up to 750,000 visitors each year moving through its 54,600 square metres, and with heavy rotating exhibitions, the floors are subject to significant wear from rolling transport and constant foot traffic. To ensure durability, all wood floors are cleaned and oiled mechanically according to a carefully planned programme developed by the museum’s “Floor Forum” in consultation with Hørning specialists. This dedicated team of staff and contractors monitors the floors, plans maintenance and oversees necessary repairs.

Architecture as Cultural Bedrock

For Klaus Schuwerk, it was essential that the architecture itself would stand as one of the cultural cornerstones of our time. Building anew should always be done with respect for what already exists, so that we add to history rather than erase it. Both the design and the robust choice of materials in the National Museum reflect this vision, creating a building made to endure and inspire for generations.

Author and photographer: Bjarne Lund Johansen