Pynteneset is one of the most attractive plots in Stavanger. The site is located just opposite Stavanger’s beautiful old town center and amidst the island landscape, making it a truly unique location with a large waterfront space as its foreground. From the outset, Vandkunsten has had the ambition to capture one or more historical elements associated with Stavanger’s historic sea houses in their encounter with the water.

The proposal is based on the desire to highlight the city’s connection with the water. This is achieved through a landscape-oriented and recreational approach inspired by the city’s original typologies, as well as a local quality of living here as part of a small and fine local area. It is a neighborhood with a low, open scale closely related to the omnipresent Norwegian nature.

“The buildings, both the sea houses and the second-row residential houses, are poetic, beautiful, and well-thought-out. There is also a third, taller type called the ‘Pakhuset’ (warehouse) that is placed in between. The proponents refer to it as building blocks because the structure allows for maneuvering with types and placements. This provides flexibility in programming and the final project content. The project’s housing types and floor plans are varied and well-executed, with good daylight conditions and pleasant spatial sequences. There are well-thought-out and fascinating solutions for constructions and material use,” writes the jury in their feedback.

Vandkunsten was invited by Pynteneset Eiendom and competed against Lund and Slaatto Architects and Eder Biesel Architects.

We are delighted that Pynteneset Eiendom has chosen our proposal, as the project aligns with several other Norwegian projects, including a residential development in Larvik and the larger-scale residential complex “Vannkunsten” in Oslo.