So that’s what a Knut looks like…
I recently came across a picture of the Knut Hamsun Center http://www.designboom.com/eng/ (The picture is about half way down the page) The Center is a Scandanvian project by Steven Holl Architects that is set to be completed in Hamaroy, Norway in 2009. The building is dedicated to the great Norwegian writer by the same name. The reason I felt compelled to write about this is because when I first looked at the unique design of this building, I didn’t see a building, but instead I saw a “running head”. If you don’t see it yourself then stay with me for a minute and let me try and explain it to you. First of all you have to picture him facing to the left. The way the top part of the stairs are shaped makes it look like its right arm, while the portion of the stairs in the back of the building is its left. The top window looks like its one eye, while the lower one looks like its opened mouth. Finally, on top you can see its spiky blonde hair. Now I’m assuming that its mouth is wide open because it is running after its friend who it looks like just fell face first into the dirt (the smaller building to the right). Now I doubt that this is what the architects had in mind when they were designing this building, but I think it’s still pretty interesting how it turned out, or at least how this class is ”warping” my mind ;)