It was to be one of the iconic modern buildings of Europe, on par with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Dutch embassy in Berlin and Palace of the Arts in Valencia. And that is exactly what happened. The new accommodation for Den Norske Opera & Ballett appears to float in the Oslo Fjord like a glistening iceberg. It’s also the only opera house in the world where you can stand on the roof.
Oslo is reinventing itself. Standing on the rooftop of the opera house, you can see building excavations and cranes in every direction. Next to the central railway station in the heart of the city, the cluttered harbour area is being transformed into a second centre, with apartments, offices, shops, hotels and cultural venues. A promenade with sea views for strolling, skating and shopping is also being created. The ambitious restructuring of the area is expected to be completed in 2020. The showpiece already opened back in 2008: an opera house with a price tag of 600 million euros.
“The Opera House of glass and marble seems a glistening iceberg floating in the water”