Skjoldnes villa, Bergen (Norway)

Like a chameleon

Skjoldnes villa in Bergen certainly contributes to Norway's reputation as a country whose citizens are among the happiest people in the world. This prestigious housing development, designed by 3RW arkitekter for Skjoldnes Utvikling AS, is a haven of tranquillity. Its contours dissolve into its beautiful surroundings like a chameleon. The buildings establish a connection between the city and its natural environment and the building heights adapt neatly to the existing topography, preserving the harmonious surroundings. VMZINC Standing Seam facade cladding (Pigmento Grey) perfectly matches the villa's aesthetics, as it complements the other natural facade materials.

The Skjoldnes villa residential project stretches out over a 21.550 m² area in the south-western part of Norway. It consists of six buildings, containing about 120 living units varying from small studios to large apartments and family houses. The construction volumes are situated in two zones, separated by a communal green and a bridge over the existing highway. The public domain accommodates commercial space, sports- and recreation facilities, parking garages and other collective amenities. The project derives its name from a villa dating from 1930 that has been preserved out of respect for the original site. The villa now accommodates a café, a workshop and a couple of guest apartments. The renovated boat house has a recreative function as the point of departure for kayak trips and other aqua-fun activities in and around the bay. 

An extra dimension added to an exceptional landscape

3RW arkitekter has spent a decade elaborating this showcase project that will stimulate communal life and neighbourly feelings within its walls. The Troldhaugen suburb is situated in a natural landscape, but also quite close to the city. A public park connects the neighbourhood with the waterfront. The apartment dwellers enjoy stunning views of the bay and the fjords and have access to lots of free sports and recreational activities: walking, jogging and cycling in a natural environment. Yet the nearby highway provides a quick connection with the city. 

Skjoldnes villa adds an extra dimension to the existing extraordinary surroundings, in the sense that the design was meticulously adapted to the landscape – which meant its execution put a major challenge to the architectural firm. The shape of the buildings is in total harmony with the topography, ensuring that the units blend perfectly with the surroundings. This environmentally responsible aesthetic choice signifies genuine respect for the natural environment and boosts this location's outstanding assets.

Matching the facade cladding  

Nature's central position in this development is also reflected in the use of materials. The green roofs immediately stand out. The pale grey facades of the buildings consist of a mix of natural materials such as wood and natural stone, combined with glass panes. Zinc completes this natural look in full accordance with 3RW arkitekter's design and choice of colours. Two of its main characteristics make zinc exceptionally suitable to this setting. Not only is it a flexible material, easy to manipulate and bend, which ensures enormous architectural freedom, but it is also extremely sustainable. Add to this the not unimportant fact that zinc facade claddings withstand extreme weather conditions, whether they be heavy rain showers, violent gusts of wind, snow storms, hailstorms or important temperature fluctuations.

Standing Seam - Flexible and sustainable 

The zinc facade cladding of Skjoldnes villa consists of 1.000 m² of Standing Seam in a bespoke Pigmento Grey color. This light-weight system with maximum wind resistance is available as a standing seam or as narrow strips with standing seams, applicable to all shapes. They can be installed horizontally, vertically or diagonally at a slope from 75°. Thanks to its flexible, discrete joints, Standing Seam will suit any architectural design, as its line pattern creates a rhythm on the facade.
The decision to use Standing Seam fits the general context of sustainability characterizing this BREAAM-certified project. Thanks to its low power consumption, the production process of rolled construction zinc for the standing seam system as cladding has but a limited environmental effect. Moreover, the material has a long service life and is 100% recyclable. And finally: installing it is a quick and simple process, which means Standing Seam is also a cost-efficient solution.