2.3K 
Oslo-based architecture and design practice Snøhetta is bringing their expertise to the Norwegian coastline by the village of Båly, where the firm has crafted a scheme for Europe's first underwater restaurant. Doubling as a research centre for marine life, the facility is meant to be a unique tribute to the fauna of the sea and the rocky coastline of Norway's southern tip.
Named 'Under' — a word which could be translated into "wonder" in Norwegian — the plan sees a building half submerged by the sea. The structure's monolithic form, smoother than the adjacent geological formations but identical in colouration, breaks through the surface to rest on the shoreline. Metre-thick concrete walls will protect diners from the thrashings of the sea. Like a natural aquarium, massive acrylic windows offer patrons a view of the seabed and its evolving state through weather conditions and seasons.
Snøhetta has designed the attraction to help — not hinder — aquatic wildlife and habitat. The concrete shell of the building would employ a coarse outer texture that would serve as an ideal community for mussels. The resultant artificial mussel reef would "rinse the sea" and attract more marine life to its purified waters.
During the hours it's not catering to distinct culinary experiences, parts of the restaurant will be devoted to a marine biology research centre. Here, interdisciplinary research teams will study fish behaviour and seek to train wild fish with sound signals. In addition to examining how fish behave differently as the seasons cycle, researchers will help create optimal conditions on the seabed to enable a thriving environment in close proximity to the restaurant.
Accessing the restaurant's entrance will be an experience itself, with informational plaques educating visitors about the Norwegian coast and marine biodiversity. Eventually fading into gray tones to match the hues of the raw concrete, an untreated, locally sourced oak defines the entrance. The transition from the shoreline to the ocean is identified by a narrow acrylic window that runs vertically through the restaurant levels. The bar also allows guests to observe the seabed level, which would be equipped with two long dining tables and a number of smaller tables positioned in front of the panoramic window.
What do you think of the proposal? Let us know by leaving a comment in the field below!
