Architecture and design firm Snøhetta has completed the construction of Under, the first underwater restaurant in Europe.
Located in the remote village of Båly, Norway, the half-sunken resto is fronted by enormous panoramic window that gives guests a “unique view” of marine life. The building can seat up to 40 people and will also serve as a marine research center.
Interdisciplinary research teams will be invited to study the biodiversity surrounding the area, with the goal of creating a machine that will monitor and track the species at regular intervals. Under’s design was built to function as an artificial coral reef, with rugged texture of concrete to encourage algae and molluses to cling on. Over time, this will create an artificial mussel reef that helps purify the water and in turn, attract more marine life.
“For most of us, this is a totally new world experience. It’s not an aquarium, it’s the wildlife of the North Sea. That makes it much more interesting. It takes you directly into the wildness,” Rune Grasdal, lead architect of Under, told Dezeen.
