Not just a bridge, not just a museum or a sculpture, but all three at the same time. The Twist, the first project by BIG in Norway, is a new ‘must see’ at Kistefos Sculpture Park near Oslo. Crossing The Twist doesn’t only imply a voyage in the art it contains; it also means plunging into the beauty of nature in the Kistefos park at Jevnaker, with its twisting Randselva river and lush greenery.
The Twist, Kistefos – Design BIG – Photo © Laurian Ghinitoiu
The Twist, Kistefos – Design BIG – Photo © Laurian Ghinitoiu
The architecture designed by Bjarke Ingels makes all this possible, thanks to its particular sculptural form, careful use of materials (like the large glazings to admire the panorama) and skillful use of light. The sensation is that of walking through a camera shutter. At the northern end, the architects have created a full-height glass wall so visitors can gaze and nature and the river; this surface then curves upward, following the twisting movement, to generate a skylight.
The Twist, Kistefos – Design BIG – Photo © Laurian Ghinitoiu
The Twist, Kistefos – Design BIG – Photo © Laurian Ghinitoiu
Precisely due to the form, the variety of light that enters the museum creates three distinct spaces: a large gallery with natural lighting from the north side; a high gallery with artificial lighting on the south side, and a sculptural space in the middle, similar to a ribbon, with light arriving from the roof.
