National Opera House, Oslo, Norway
This iconic new building situated on the Oslo waterfront was completed in 2008 and provides a new home for the Norwegian National Opera and National Ballet. Designed by Norwegian architects Snohetta AS and selected in competition with 230 other entries, the building provides both 1,350 and 400 seat auditoria, the larger being of a classic horseshoe form. The marble clad sloping roofscape provides dramatic new public plaza and the building was the winner of the coveted international Mies van der Rohe architecture award.
Ease of use and their waterborne nature were key factors in determining the use of Firebreak intumescent coatings for structural fire protection in this complex building of more than 1,000 rooms, including a café, bars and a restaurant.
Much of this landmark building is below sea level and as such has required to be protected from collision with large ships using the adjacent quays by way of a specially constructed underwater barrier.
