Knut Hjeltnes AS Sivilarkitekter MNAL

Flye 1389

Situated at the highest point of Valdresflye, with panoramic views in all directions, is Flye 1389.

Flye 1389 is located at the highest point on the road over Valdresflye, in the middle of the curved plateau with panoramic views of Jotunheimen and Langsua National Park. The landscape is characteristic, with small lakes and mossy boulders that were once transported and deposited by the glacier. Valdresflye is highly exposed to rough weather, with strong winds from the west. In winter, the road is closed from Christmas to early spring, and the snow usually remains well into the summer.

The architect wished to celebrate the high mountain landscape and this particular place, by encouraging more people to make a stop. The characteristic building has a base area of 179 square metres and replaces the youth hostel that used to be here. The entrance is through a non-insulated gateway with a café on one side, and toilets and a staff room on the other. The café is positioned so that the main view is towards the north, with side views to the east and west. Walls and roof have weatherboard cladding in ore-pine and three-layer spruce panels, which in time will develop a natural bluish grey colour due to exposure to the elements, so that the building will blend in with the colours of the rough mountain landscape.

Flye 1389 can seat 40 guests and includes a café with a kitchen and sales areas, four toilets and a small staff room. The outdoor area has been preserved in its natural state as far as possible, and has two specially-prepared rest areas with seating benches along the walls of the building, for outdoor eating and relaxation. The rest area on the west side has been given a concrete floor which makes it suitable for various events. The one on the east side is simpler, with tables and seats among large rocks in natural terrain.

To avoid unwanted wear and tear on the landscape, the area has been given a new entrance and exit, and a large gravelled car park clearly separated from the terrain.

To Flye 1389

Gjende

Gjende is situated in an area where the vegetation is dominated by willow thickets, grassy plants and low -growing mountain birch forests.

The view to the west is dominated by Knutshø and Besseggen as well as the large surface of Lake Gjende, with the Jotunheimen massif itself as a backdrop. The open landscape is vast and magnificent, with few elements. For the area around Gjende we are seeking to enhance the nature experience by repairing a broken landscape, improving access and logistics for the ferry boat, improving road safety and bringing people even closer to the heart of nature.

The Gjende ferry boat has a new, sturdy quay and a functional storage facility for the boat and the tourism companies of Memurubu and Gjendebu. The trailhead car park at Gjendeosen has been moved to a larger parking area with toilet facilities and bicycle parking at Reinsvangen. The buildings at Gjende and Reinsvangen are simple wooden buildings with ore-pine weatherboard cladding on the outside: The cladding has been mounted as full-length boards, slightly slanting and overlapping. Roofs and facades have rounded corners. 

The next phase of the project will contain a new service building with a café, toilet facilities and an information desk, as well as traffic improvements at Gjende.

Contractor: Brun Bygg AS
Construction client: Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA)

To Gjende

Linge ferjekai

Linge ferry quay is located on the Nordalsfjord, west of the Linge farm in the Valldal valley.

Linge ferry quay encompasses a waiting room, a covered outdoor area and service facilities. The waiting room juts out from the concrete foundation. The external walls facing east, south and west consist of four large bay windows, each with an internal bench. The north wall of the room is composed of wooden struts and glass. This design lends the room a degree of intimacy, while its suspended position above the water adds exhilaration. The interior is clad in light-coloured woodwork that reflects the light from the sea, while the exterior is covered in galvanized steel.

To Linge ferjekai

Rjupa

Rjupa and Vargbakkane are characteristic rest areas on the ascents on either side of the Valdresflye plateau.

The area is extremely exposed to the effects of adverse weather. From Rjupa, there is a panoramic view over the Vinstervatn lake, and the assignment consisted in emphasizing the character of the location, improving traffic safety and reducing wear on the terrain. Using simple interventions, the boundary with the vulnerable terrain has been marked out while the visual accessibility remains generous, emphasizing the horizontal openness of the landscape.

To Rjupa