Steven Holl_Knut Hamsun Center_09

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Knut Hamsun Museum.

Knut Hamsun, Norway's most inventive 20th century writer, fabricated new forms of expression in his first novel Hunger going on in later novels such as Pan, Mysteries, and Growth of the Soil to achieve the foundation of truly modern school of fiction. Hamsun's writings have been particularly inspiring to filmmakers, which is evident in the more than seventeen films existent.

The concept for the museum, 'Building as a Body; battleground of invisible forces', embodies the character of Hamsun. The tarred black wood exterior skin is characteristic of the great wooden stave Norse churches. The spine of the building body is the central elevator, providing handicapped and freight access to all parts of the building. At the roof garden the long grass reflects the traditional Nirwegian sod roofs in a different way...

(text from El Croquis 93 / 1998 / page 116,

watercolor images © 2002 by Lars Müller Publishers / Steven Holl 'Written in Water' / ISBN 3-907078-87-X)