The 1000 square meters Twist Museum in Jevnaker, Norway by Bjarke Ingels Group instantly stands out due to the shape that was chosen. Finished in 2019, this inhabitable bridge with a torque at the middle is an art piece in itself. What is interesting is that this is a structure that is a museum and also doubles as the infrastructure needed to connect 2 forested riverbanks.
The Twist Museum was built around a pulp mill and is conceived as being abeam that warps 90 degrees close to the middle. This creates the sculptural form you see from a distance. As you stroll through the site-specific works in the museum by many international artists, you come across this twist that practically completes a unique art tour. It is a natural park extension and transforms the entire visitor experience while also doubling the indoor exhibition space available.
The simple twist that you see allows the lifting of the bridge from the forested riverbank towards the hillside region, from south to north. Both building sides become a main entrance. As you walk from the south entry point, you go across a 16 meters bridge and you reach the double-height space that offers a view of the north end, which is also linked to the main structure by a pedestrian bridge of 9 meters. Straight 40 centimeters aluminum panels are arranged like books, with slight shifting, as a fan. On the inside, the exact same principle is used.
The special part of the north end of the Twist Museum is a full-height glass wall. It offers panoramic views of the river tapers and the pulp mill. Since daylight enters the museum through different points, there are 3 distinctive galleries present:
- A wide one that is naturally lit and offers panoramic views in the north.
- A taller, darker gallery that has artificial lighting in the south.
- A sculptural space located between the two and featuring the twist.
Last but not least, there is a glass stairway that leads down towards the lower level of the museum. This is on the north river embankment. The aluminum underside of the building turns into the ceiling for this restroom and basement area.
Photographs: Laurian Ghinitoiu
