Domen Viewpoint, Norwegian Building Design, Scandinavian Visitors Center, Architecture Images

Domen Viewpoint in Northeast Norway

12 Nov 2020

Domen Viewpoint

Design: Biotope

Location: Northeast Norway

Sustainably designed with Kebony wood to help visitors connect with nature

Located in the northeast corner of Norway overlooking the Barents Sea, the new Domen Viewpoint has just opened to tourists visiting the unique destination. Offering unparalleled views of the vast untouched area, the sustainably designed building, comprising hardwearingKebonywood, provides much-needed shelter from the harsh arctic climate, and has already become a landmark for adventurers on their journey to discover the natural beauty of the Norwegian countryside.

At the peak of a mountain, the rest and viewpoint building is drawing crowds of adventurers largely due to the magnificent views it offers of Arctic land, fjords and the sea – perfect for nature enthusiasts to enjoy the amazingly rich wildlife and stunning landscape. Designed bybiotope Architects, the dome consists of three small buildings designed with a steel frame, clad with whitewashed pine panel and Norwegian-made Kebony wood on the inside, with a light pink tinge in the glass.

Situated in Vardø, the only community in Norway to still sit within the arctic climate zone, the surrounding area is characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Built by local company,Finnmark Entreprenør, and commissioned by the National Scenic Routes of Norway, the viewpoint has been stylishly designed in white to blend with the winter landscape experienced for half of the year, while the interiors are sustainably clad with Kebony wood.

Highly resistant to wear and weathering, global leader in the production of sustainable wood, Kebony requires no maintenance beyond normal cleaning and adopts a beautiful silver-grey patina over time.

Commenting on the use of Kebony, Tormod Amundsen, Architect said,‘The warm colouring of Kebony contrasts the cold white landscape and exterior cladding very well. Kebony itself is a supreme material, and we look forward to seeing how it will gain a nice patina over time.’

Developed in Norway, Kebony’s revolutionary technology is an environmentally friendly and patented process which modifies sustainably sourced softwoods by heating the wood with furfuryl alcohol – an agricultural by-product. By polymerising the wood’s cell wall, the softwoods permanently take on the attributes of tropical hardwood including high durability, hardness and dimensional stability. This unique process also provides Kebony with its characteristic appearance, which will age with the natural landscape surrounding the Domen viewpoint.

Mette Valen, Sales Manager Norway at Kebony added: “We are delighted to being used so extensively in this stunning viewpoint, which really sets a new standard for environmentally-friendly construction. It was a pleasure to work with the team to realise the vision for the innovative project.”