Modern city hall design with tall central atrium taking on an active role of the Citizen's Forum

The city hall in Bodø, Norway merges its original city hall, a former bank in natural stone with the new limestone cladding building bringing them both together around a wooden six story high atrium with plenty of free seating area under the Polar Starry.

The art within the premise further draws references to a Piranesi drawing, with the staggered balconies, setback atrium fronts, varied floor heights, and a vertiginous art piece "Poem for the Bureaucracy." The up and down dimmed luminaries further casts light onto uniquely shaped walls, and circulary, all around this art feature.

The natural stars from the outside skies blend together through massive window structures with three different sized luminaires.

Random composition called for a thought out plan of various scale luminaries and their positions in order for an efficient energy use, and resulted in a great architectonical dynamic between various size 'stars.'

They generate a warm-toned atmosphere of the city council premises.

The tall windows of the newest building are not only valuable for their function as scenic viewpoints of the governing town, but also for the amount of natural light that they bring in and mimic the starry which can during winters be seen day and night-long.

The top floor caps with a panoramic view of the governing town from the modern rooftop canteen in the city of Bodø, just north of the polar circle. Catching the light by the building's various lines, catching light and casting shadows for an ever-changing play of light.


Architect: Atelier Lorentzen Langkilde
 
Lighting Designer: SML Lighting
 
Photographer: Adam Mork