via Snøhetta
Wind load is an important calculation to figure into the design and construction of most buildings, but a building under construction in Norway will have to pay close attention to something I’ve never even thought about before: wave load.
Under, an appropriately named underwater restaurant currently under construction in Lindesnes, Norway, has a host of complicated construction challenges, including the aforementioned wave load. When completed in March of 2019, it will not only be Europe’s first underwater restaurant, but will also be the largest in the world.
The building, which architect Snohetta compares to a periscope sticking out of the water, will sit approximately 16.5 feet below sea level and weight between 1500 and 2000 metric tons. It’s main attraction will be a 36 foot by 11.5 foot window that will look out into the Atlantic Ocean.
via Snøhetta
To withstand the load of the ocean, the structure is being built with reinforced concrete and measure almost 1.64 (0.5 meters) feet thick. The window mentioned above will be just over a foot thick. The structure was designed to withstand a thousand-year wave, which is a wave that is only met or exceeded in size once in a thousand years.
The construction of the building began in January of 2018, but it didn’t start under water. Instead, the complete exterior shell of the building will be carried out above ground on a barge anchored close to the final install point. As of March, the structure is set to be lowered below sea level in July and be attached to the foundation. Finally, a good use for this sweet under water power drill.
via under
“This operation is what I consider to be the most challenging part of the project. We have exact calculations which tell us where and how to lower the structure into the sea, but I must admit I will be relieved when the work is completed,” explained Arne Marthinsen, project manager for the SubMar Group, which is responsible for the marine operations of the project, on under’s website.
After the building is successfully secured in place, the interior finish work will begin. I’m really hoping the process for lowering and attaching the building is well documented and shared after it’s complete.
Full Story: The building of the underwater restaurant – under | under
