Viewing Platform Gudbrandsjuvet

This site has become famous for its spectacular waterfalls. Though the waterfall is not very high the place nevertheless fascinates because of the dramatic deep and narrow cuts in the cliff, solely a result of the rivers continuous friction with the cliffs over the last several thousand years. The three gorges are around 50 meters deep, and about half are filled with water. Every autumn huge amounts of melting-water from the glaciers creates a thundering roar at the site. The place gets several hundred thousand visitors every year, stopping on their way from the Geiranger fjord to Trollstigen.

At the stop point we have designed a viewing platforms and two bridges. The different inventions have related but independent architectural expressions. The main platform is constructed by 25mm laser cut steel sheets, cantilevered like a bridge around the cliff, not touching it at anmy point, but only hung in each end. The railing has a geometry that allows it to be continuous even with different security requirements from place to place. The large inward curve allows the tourists to securely lean out over the deadly waters. The bridges are made from different materials according to what is most appropriate at each site. The platform at the parking side is made from prefabricated elements of concrete, like a bicycle chain, an element that is connected in the corners but rotated in the angle that will fit the site. This was appropriate at this site because cantilevering prefabricated elements had obvious advantages economically and practically.

Tourist project Gudbrandsjuvet - Gudbrandsjuvet waterfalls Gudbrandsjuvet, Norway 2008 Client: Roads dept. Project architects JSA: Jan Olav Jensen (pl), Børre Skodvin, Torunn Golberg, Torstein Koch, Sigrid Moldestad Landscape architect: Jensen & Skodvin Static consultant: Finn Erik Nilsen Year Planned: 2003 & 2008 Year Built: 2005 - 2007 Area: 600 m2 Cost: 1 million Euros