Østengen og Bergo AS

Ersfjordstranda

Ersfjord beach is located at the farthest end of Ersfjord on the island of Senja.

Tupelo Arkitektur:

The beach is surrounded by tall mountains on three sides, which form a magnificent landscape area. The white sandy beach is a popular recreational area. The beach borders sand dunes – a particular type of flora that is rear to find in Norway. On beautiful summer days, as many as 60 cars could be parked along the road and on the grassy field down towards the beach, causing chaos and excessive wear and tear on the vulnerable vegetation. A car park and a toilet facility were built in the area where the impact on nature would be minimal. The toilet facility has a triangular geometric shape that mirrors the surrounding mountains. The exterior is clad in Corten steel. The rust colour metal will ensure that the building will blend in with its surroundings regardless of the season. The inside of the toilet facility is clad with polished stainless steel. A glass roof fills the toilet facility with light and provides a view of the surrounding nature. With simple interior lighting, the building can be used as a lantern at night. 

Østengen og Bergo AS:

On beautiful summer days, many cars were parked along the road and on the grassy fields and sand dunes at Ersfjordstranda. This led to traffic chaos and significant wear and tear on the fragile sand dune vegetation. Østengen & Bergo prepared a landscape analysis as a basis for assessing where a new car park could be located in the very vulnerable landscape.

The result of the analysis was a recommendation to design the car park in the least exposed area with the least valuable biotope. The recommended solution places the car park partly behind an existing sand dune. It was stressed that the car park should join the sand dune’s original shape without any encroachments. Placing toilet facilities, paths and sitting areas in the vulnerable terrain was also part of the assignment.

The service building is designed by Tupelo Arkitektur.
The rest area is designed by Østengen og Bergo AS.

To Ersfjordstranda

Skjervsfossen

Skjervsfossen is a large nature attraction located at one of the gateways to Norwegian Scenic Route Hardanger.

Wear and tear had taken its toll on the rest area and surroundings, and the waterfall was not easily accessible. A building that resembles a sturdy monolith is located by the parking facilities, where the nature walk begins. The building, which has toilet facilities and a small technical room//storeroom, has slate exterior walls. The interior is clad with plywood veneer; the wall facing the river and exterior doors are clad with galvanised sheets.

Footpaths and hikes that offer various ways to experience the waterfall have been created. Several of the footpaths have been universally designed and are easily accessible. Footpaths, steps and railings have been designed discreetly into the terrain, allowing Nature to play the lead. Skjervsfossen nature walk allows visitors to experience the waterfall in various ways and from various points. “The Edge” runs close to the edge of the waterfall, “the Shelf” and “the Lower Shelf” provide a dramatic and up-close view of the waterfall from two intermediary levels. “The Step” is located further into the landscape and connects the upper and lower levels. “The Shower” allows a close encounter with the wet element. At the beginning of the footpath that leads into the waterfall is a parking facility. Fortunen Architects has made a characteristic toilet, where the roof and walls are covered with large plates of natural stone, and with a steel door. 

To Skjervsfossen