Holmestrand station is a unique and spectacular project. The station hall is located 150m inside Holmestrand mountain and is one of the world`s largest mountain halls in one volume.

The architecture creates a dramatic tension between the outdoor and indoor environment, with inspiration from rocks and mountain rooms. The portal buildings are designed with geometry that can give the impression of growing out of the mountain. The access tunnels have gradually rising ceilings the further into the tunnels you come, with sloping ceiling designs that have clear allusions to mountain formations.

The lighting concept is based on the station´s distinctive architectural design, with the materiality and shape of corten steel beams referring to railway tracks and sleepers. General lighting integrated in the vertical and horizontal beams creates pleasant ambience. The concept is based on a layer-by-layer technique which interacts multiple different lighting principles, using different dynamics and variety. Coloured light is used as a marker both on the platform edge and when no persons are present in the station hall. The complete lighting solution enhances the sense of space and support the architectural approaches.

There are four railway tracks through the hall, two of them for high-speed trains. This provides extremely high air pressure to the interior and luminaires. High aesthetic quality materials, with integrated light gives the interior an aesthetically beautiful appearance which is rarely found under these rough conditions.

Holmestrand station has become a delicate and inviting place where an unconventional lighting system gives a pleasant visual atmosphere.

Client: Bane NOR SF
Builder: HENT AS
Lighting designer: Rambøll Norway AS
Architect: Gottlieb Paludan Architects
Interior designer: Gottlieb Paludan Architects
Electrical designer: Rambøll Norway AS
Electrical contractor: NLI
Lighting supplier: Osram, Erco, iGuzzini, Fagerhult, Philips, Nortronic, Insta, Luce and Light and Zumtobel
Photo credit: Tomasz Majewski

Under is Europe’s first underwater restaurant designed by Snøhetta. Its rough concrete structure makes it easy for mussels to cling to its surface, acting as an artificial reef.

The lighting design ensures a clear view, a safe experience, and an extraordinary journey for all visitors. With a natural reference to the theme of the restaurant, the interior lighting floats like waves into the room when and where it is needed – a unique feature of the concept Liquid Light®.

More than 400 ceiling‐mounted LED lights are carefully positioned with vertical output in a grid formation. They can be grouped to create various lighting scenarios or be individually controlled to adapt and adjust the lighting and levels to a specific area, e.g. over the tables when night falls, which saves energy, whilst adding light where needed. Because of the minimal amounts of daylight on the seabed 5 meters below the surface, it was crucial to maintain a sense of natural light to create a safe and inviting environment for the visitors and staff.

The lighting experience ensures warmth and intimacy inside the restaurant, without disturbing the view of the wonders beneath the sea. The subsea lighting attracts various species of marine wildlife making them visible from inside the restaurant and helps naturally rinse the sea water and increase biodiversity.

It was fundamental that the lighting scheme met the practical requirements of a naturally dark environment, whilst protecting local wildlife without jeopardising the architectural look and feel of the restaurant.

Client: Stig og Gaute Ubostad
Builder: Stig og Gaute Ubostad
Lighting designer: Light Bureau (Former ÅF Lighting)
Architect: Snøhetta, Norway
Interior designer: Snøhetta, Norway
Electrical designer: Tratec Teknikken AS
Electrical contractor: Tratec Teknikken AS
Lighting supplier: iGuzzini, Nortronic, MakingMatters, Fiberoptisk, Fagerhult, Stokkanlys – Deltalight, Luminator, Atendi.
Photo credit: Tomasz Majewski