With the new brewery, the site will reconnect with the city not only physically, but also socially
– Dan Stubbergaard, founder and creative director of COBE

Danish architects COBE and Norwegian beer maker Lervig have unveiled plans for a major waterfront visitor centre and brewery in Stavanger, Norway.

Located on a former industrial pier, the 11,000sq m (118,400sq ft) building has been conceived as “a unique attraction for locals and visitors”, with a harbour bath, roof garden and street-food market all incorporated into the mixed-use scheme.

COBE have described the design concept as “part architecture, part urban space, part landscape”.

A large roof, supported by a series of wooden arches, will connect all functions of the visitor centre and brewery, with the choice of material drawing on the region’s timber building traditions.

Inside, guests will have an unobstructed view through the building and of Lervig’s tanks and fermentation vessels.

Outside, plants and flowers will be grown in the publicly accessible roof garden – along with hops, vegetables and fruit trees to be used in the brewing process – meaning the building will appear to be a large park from above.

“Our vision is to create a vernacular attraction and destination in the heart of Stavanger,” said Dan Stubbergaard, founder and creative director of COBE.

“Breweries have always been perceived as closed-off facilities. By wrapping this one with a range of public functions within a single structure, we are able to create a project capable of making citizens and visitors come together and enjoy city life.

“For years, the site serviced the offshore industry. With the new brewery, the site will reconnect with the city not only physically, but also socially.

"Offering spectacular views of both the city and the fjord, we do not envision a high building on such a prominent site – rather a low building, conceived as an urban space as much as a visitor centre, tailored to celebrate city life.”

Anders Kleinstrup, managing director of Lervig, added: “Over the past couple of years the company has experienced a continual increase in sales and as such, we've now outgrown our current premises.

"Normally you would see a brewery move out of the city, in search of a cheap greenfield site fit for expansion. However, we believe that we have the possibility to create something very unique in Stavanger at Bekhuskaien – a brewery attraction in the city centre.

"The project will become an oasis for all ages.”

COBE are currently working on several leisure projects across Europe, including a transformation of Cologne’s old industrial harbour into a sustainable neighbourhood with a huge waterfall and landmark public pool, and a development scheme for the 40,000sq m (430,500sq ft) Töölönlahti Bay in Helsinki.

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