The waterway's stories

The waterway’s stories is a project where art, architecture and light was used to create a whole heartedly concept, where the aim is to show the attractions and landscapes around the Telemark Canal. The first part of the project is Soria Moria at Dalen.

Down by Bandak is a shavings building with an overview of the Canal. With steep mountain sides straight down to the surface of the water, creating a dramatic scenery. With fog just above the surface. The project of Soria Moria is developed by the Telemark Canal regional park in cooperation with Tokke municipality, its a part the bigger art project in the Telemark Canal – waterway’s stories – where art, architecture and lights is used to show off the attractions and landscapes in the local areas.

The characteristics of the building is an interpretation of the steep mountain sides that disappears down in Bandak. The outside is of shavings inspired by local building custom. In between the tree shavings some gold peaks through. The gold connects with the local tradition and is a symbol for the mystical and inferior. The gold shavings is also a reference to the contrast between the locals from Telemark and the lavish foreign upper class which travelled to the newly built hotel in Dalen at the end of the 1800. The building includes a sauna, dressing room and a view bench with a roof.

Along the upper part of Bandak it is shallow, except by Sigurdselva. Which is why the project is on stakes in above the water, making it easier to swim from the building. Sigurdselva is an obvious and characteristically image of the landscape. The placement of the pier and sauna helps promote this. The pier is used as a path connecting with paths along Bandak and further to Dalen Hotel.

A Nordic design team, the architect David Fjågesund, the landscape architect Inge Dahlman, light designer Tobias Olsson and the artist Maria Änquist Klyvare has together cooperated for the development of the project, with Skrove entrepreneur as the executer. Local material is mainly used in the project. The shavings is delivered by Øyfjell Sag and the pier by Tinnoset Sag.