Edward Munch’s Artworks Get a Striking New Waterfront Home in Oslo

Spring was a recurring source of inspiration for Edvard Munch, whose vernal landscapes offered hopeful counterpoints to anguished icons like The Scream. But this spring marks an especially fresh start for Norway’s most famous painter (1863–1944). Along the radically transformed Bjørvika waterfront, finishing touches are being made to the new Munch museum, an eagerly anticipated showcase for the artist’s legacy.

The striking structure—13 stories tall, with a cranked silhouette that bows to the city center—replaces the museum’s longtime home, where cramped quarters did inadequate justice to a painter in thrall to light and nature. Designed by the international architecture firm Estudio Herreros, the new museum features 11 exhibition halls of varied ceiling heights and square footages, offering diverse and dynamic showcases for a collection that comprises some 42,300 personal objects, including 26,000 works by the artist. (Highlights include versions of The Scream and The Sun, Munch’s monumental mural at the University of Oslo.) In addition to long-term displays from this considerable trove, programming will include exhibitions devoted to kindred artistic spirits, both modern and contemporary.

Built to Passive House standards, the museum is also a model of energy efficiency, with a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent over the life of the building. Natural ventilation, distinct climate zones, and innovative heating/cooling systems all play their part, as do low-carbon materials, concrete among them. Enigmatic cladding of perforated, recycled aluminum, for instance, shields the interiors from the harsh Nordic sun, helping to prevent temperature fluctuations while seemingly shifting in color over the course of the day.

“We knew that to propose a vertical museum was a risk,” says architect Juan Herreros, acknowledging local grumblings about the building’s nearly 200-foot height. But Munch of all people might approve. Nowadays there’s no better vantage point from which to take in the city and seascape that inspired him. munchmuseet.no —Sam Cochran

Gallery: More Inside an English Georgian Home That Resonates With Personality and Magic (Architectural Digest)

  • Slide 1 of 16: In the living room, a central ottoman opens up to reveal the family’s stash of jigsaw puzzles and games while an upholstered fender offers a fireside place to perch. Says Graham: “They are such a great piece of furniture because not only do they make the room a lot more flexible and you can fit more people in but they're a great opportunity for adding fun and character into the room.”

  • Slide 2 of 16: With children running around, keeping the house tidy is important. In the breakfast room, the cabinet serves as a breakfast bar; table by Rose Uniacke, lion portrait by Kate Boxer.

  • Slide 3 of 16: The home's pooch holds center court.

  • Slide 4 of 16: In the breakfast room, the sofa is upholstered in Qajar Stripe by Soane and the walls are painted in Milk White by Paper and Paint Library.

  • Slide 5 of 16: A freestanding island anchors the kitchen, where an Aga range mingles with Milagros tiles, Jamb globe pendants, and an arrangement of decorative plates.

  • Slide 6 of 16: “A painted floor is a great option because it is practical and you can go wild with the colors,” Graham explains of the children’s bath. Striped wallpaper by Farrow & Ball and midcentury Tom wall lights from Hector Finch bridge the formal architecture with a family-friendly feel.

  • Slide 7 of 16: Displayed in a hallway is a Jack Milroy artwork with French bird papercut books perched behind Perspex.

  • Slide 8 of 16: In a ground-level bathroom, wallpaper by Ottoline and mirror by Balineum.

  • Slide 9 of 16: A bedroom with a sitting nook with a view to the outside.

  • Slide 10 of 16: A child's room.

  • Slide 11 of 16: In the living room, a central ottoman opens up to reveal the family’s stash of jigsaw puzzles and games while an upholstered fender offers a fireside place to perch. Says Graham: “They are such a great piece of furniture because not only do they make the room a lot more flexible and you can fit more people in, but they're a great opportunity for adding fun and character into the room.”

  • Slide 12 of 16: The dining room is furnished with a mix of family antiques and contemporary pieces. “When people are moving into older family homes, there’s often a lot of brown furniture,” says Graham. “We love using it in schemes as it anchors a room and gives a sense of depth and history.” Here, the Georgian dining table has been given a skirt, as have Salveson Graham chairs. Walls are painted in Lichen by Farrow & Ball. The fireplace is original to the house.

  • Slide 13 of 16: The 1950s Swedish rug from Robert Stephenson was the starting point for the primary bedroom, which is outfitted with Décors Barbares fabrics. The Russian folklore–inspired textiles appear throughout the house.

  • Slide 14 of 16: Claire Vero, founder of the pioneering probiotic skin-care line Aurelia, at home in the British countryside; to decorate the house, she enlisted the London-based design studio Salveson Graham.

  • Slide 15 of 16: A tub stands ready within a sitting room.

  • Slide 16 of 16: The Georgian house was built in 1800 with a Victorian wing added later. It is located on nine acres of land, including formal gardens, orchards, and paddock.

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