Song of the cascade

Author: Shruti Bansal

Instagram account: shrutiiii_bansal

A breath-taking waterfall, the mighty ocean, the fresh wind, and the magnanimous mountain all forge into one to become a part of this visitor’s centre. The centre envelops the magnificent Friaren waterfall in Norway while harmonising and blending in with the existing landscape.

A portion of the centre lies within the mountain, just behind the waterfall enabling the users to have a bodily experience where one is engaged not just visually but also physically with the powerful natural elements.

The vision of the centre is to create an atmosphere of serenity and tranquillity where the users are fully immersed in the beauty of this fjord. The mysterious paths within the mountain induce a sense of curiosity and interest. The centre offers a panoramic view of the fjord where the boundary  between the exterior and interior gets blurred. Each point in the centre entails with itself a unique view and experience.

The dramatic experience of nature gets further amplified through the journey within the mountain where one can hear the sounds of the flowing waterfall, the ocean, can feel the mist of the cascade and the rocky texture of the mountain. . As the users move through the multiple layers, the spaces become more introspective and reflective.

The emphasis of the architecture is to depict the story of the place and act as the voice of the flowing cascade imploring the users to reconnect and revalorise the beauty of the landscape.