Kilden, the cultural arena of Southern Norway Story by Ruukki Kilden, the cultural arena of Southern Norway  Kilden Performing Arts Centre Story by ROCKWOOL International A/S Kilden Performing Arts Centre
Product Spec Sheet

ElementBrandProduct Name
ManufacturersJansen
ManufacturersROCKWOOL International A/S
ManufacturersAVAB CAC
roofingBlumer Lehmann
LightingSIMES
ZIP LED die cast aluminium steplight

Product Spec Sheet
Manufacturers
Manufacturers
Manufacturers
roofing
Lighting
by SIMES

Kilden performing arts centre

ALA Architects as Architects

The core of the building architecture is the way the concert, theater and multi-purpose halls are serviced efficiently and without interference. The monumental abstract form of the wall of local oak separates reality from fantasy while the wall allures the audience and expresses the diversity of artistic performances. This unique venue combines a 1,185-seat concert hall, a 708-seat theater and opera hall, plus two smaller halls.


More from the  architect:


Kilden, a theatre and concert hall in Kristiansand, Norway, has brought together all the city?s institutions of performing arts. Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra now has a concert hall accommodating 1200 attendees. Agder Theater, a regional group, is performing in a theater with a capacity of 700. The theater hall can be transformed to accommodate opera performances to house the ensemble Opera South. In addition, there is a stage for experimental theater and a multi-purpose hall with a level floor.


Kilden produces experiences. The core of its architecture is the way the concert, theater and multi-purpose halls are serviced efficiently and without interference. The monumental abstract form of the wall of local oak, separates reality from fantasy. Passing through, the audience will move from natural landscape to the realm of performing arts. The wall allures the audience and expresses the diversity of artistic performances housed by the building as well as the power induced by their combination.


The wall made of wedged CNC milled solid planks is not only a disguised theatrical effect but a concrete tactile artifact, which also improves the acoustics of the foyer. The infinite blackness of the other facades emphasizes the spectacle of the foyer.

Kilden, the cultural arena of Southern Norway

Ruukki as Steel contractor

The protruding, wavy upper part of the façade was made possible by steel structures with cladding in oak; the facade interacts with the sea. The steel frame parts were prefabricated according to very demanding measurements, resembling a theatrical curtain.


More from the steel contractor:


The façade of the recently finished theatre and concert hall is astounding. The wavy form interacts with the sea it faces. The oak façade could not have been realised without its steely frame, as Kilden is the second largest cultural building in Norway.


Kilden hosts up to 2 300 people in four halls. The main concert hall seats 1 200 culture lovers. Kilden is the home base of the city’s theatre, the Kristiansand symphony orchestra and the Opera of South Norway, Opera Sør. In addition to this, the space is used by many, ranging from amateur dancers to circus folk. The house also has space for practice and administrative functions.


Wavy façade


The sea-facing front of Kilden is an eye-catcher. The long, wavy façade lies behind a glass wall. 25 meters apart from each other, the upper part of the façade is held in place by four steel pillars. The façade is cladded with oak.


- The protruding, wavy upper part of the façade was made possible by steel structures. It was cladded with oak, a natural choice for Kristiansand, famous for its oak trees, says architect Juho Grönholm.


- The wavy character of the façade is special and poses its challenges. Without pre-processed steel parts, its building would not have been possible, as we would have most probably run into problems with permissible deviations. The work conditions near the sea were also challenging, says Kildens contractor, Øivind Holum of AF Gruppen.


Steely accuracy


The critical part in the installation process was matching the steel frame to parts made from other materials, such as concrete.


- The steel structures fit precisely to cast structures. When planning steel structures one should always take into account how they fit together with other structures, says Jyrki Saarimaa, Project Manager at Ruukki


The most common method to join steel structures is to weld them together on-site. In Kilden, the joints were made by bolting. This sped up the construction process, but demanded precision.


The steel frame parts were prefabricated according to very demanding measurements. Even more challenging was the planning and construction of the wavy façade.


- When the steel parts arrived, they fit like a glove. The holes were precisely where they should be. The wavy wall structure alone has about 2 000 pairs of holes and bolts, says Magne Vestvik of Kilden’s developer organisation.


Knowledge needs to be shared


The architectural agency ALA received plenty of practical information on planning the steel structures.


- Everything was on-time and professional, and we are proud of that. The operations on-site were first class. The steel structure made the construction project demanding, and all the components were delivered precisely. It has been a pleasure to work with Ruukki, says Juho Grönholm


The project utilised BIM, a data model to which all status changes during the prefabrication and installation processes were updated. The data model allowed a 3D view to the structures and their joints, which sped up work.


More than a building for the arts


Kristiansand is continuously developed and the city wants to attract especially educated people. Kilden has become more than just a place for culture and the arts.


- Kilden is a face lift to the entire region of Southern Norway, as we now have a remarkable building for the arts to compete with Oslo and Stavanger, says Øivind Holum.


Magne Vestvik summarises:


”For as long as I live, I will continue to be proud of this building”.


Fast facts:


The Kilden construction project cost EUR 210 million and was a significant investment to the city of Kristiansand. Ruukki has earlier worked with the Oslo Opera House with Veidekke.


o Constructor: AF Gruppen AS o Architects: Arkkitehtitoimisto ALA Oy, Helsinki o Consulting: Multiconsult AS o Steel contractor Ruukki: steel frame, load-bearing sheets o Ruukki started its deliveries at the end of October 2009 and finished delivery at the beginning of March 2010. The delivery amounted to 800 tons of steel.


Article by Tapani Tuominen

Kilden Performing Arts Centre

ROCKWOOL International A/S as Manufacturers

Rockwool insulation was specified for the façade and it ensured the thermal performance, fire safety and quality. The corrugated oak wall in the main foyer is also specially constructed for acoustics; five-millimeter gaps between planks allow the insulation behind the paneling to absorb excess noise from the foyer area.


More from the manufacturer:


Performance lies in every detail. Kilden Performing Arts Centre on the island of Odderøya, Kristiansand, is one of Norway's biggest cultural projects of recent times.


This unique venue combines a 1,185-seat concert hall, a 708-seat theater and opera hall, plus two smaller halls. The building is the new shared home for Agder Theatre Company, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Sør.


In addition to its important cultural role, Kilden is an iconic landmark for the southern region of Norway. Its undulating wooden facade, resembling a theatrical curtain, contrasts dramatically with the industrial quayside location. But the building's beauty is much more than skin deep - in fact, almost everything about it goes beyond the ordinary.


The design, by Finland's ALA Architects, was selected from 98 entries in an international open competition. That's an unusual story in itself - ALA's four founding partners were recent graduates at the time. When their entry was chosen, they had to act quickly to build the firm of 20 they have today. The winning design successfully combined an iconic appearance with outstanding practicality.


Crossing the divide


The rippled curtain of Kilden's facade is a striking visual feature. It also has an important symbolic function, says ALA Architects founder Samuli Woolston, marking the transition between everyday reality and the realm of creative fantasy.


"We wanted to bridge the divide between the audience and the performers," Woolston says. "When you walk through this curtain, you're already on the side of fantasy. You're walking into the performance. Everything in the building reflects this idea. The exterior surfaces are easily understandable as materials - oak, glass, aluminum, natural stone. But inside, it's all about color and light. There's a dramatic change of atmosphere when you cross the threshold."


The realm of the imagination is balanced with an industrial practicality. "This is fantasy meets factory," Woolston says. "The layout is very straightforward and logical. All the halls are set out in one row, with audience spaces in front and performer spaces behind. The logistics are simple and direct, which is essential in a building that must meet so many combined demands."


Built for sound


Acoustics is naturally a central concern for a venue of this nature, and the choice of utilitarian materials such as concrete was an advantage. "Concrete is a bit unusual for a concert hall," Woolston says. "You see a lot of wood paneling, but that's often more about tradition than acoustic science. Concrete has excellent acoustic properties, including the mass you need to reflect bass sounds well. All four halls have adjustable acoustics, with additional sound absorption available when needed."


The corrugated oak wall in the main foyer is also specially constructed for acoustics. Five-millimeter gaps between planks allow the ROCKWOOL insulation behind the paneling to absorb excess noise from the foyer area.


Energy-saving design


Minimizing environmental impact was an important consideration in the design. The building is connected to the district heating and cooling system, and no space was made bigger than necessary. Windows are angled to capture maximum sunlight, and the black alloy surfaces absorb and release heat energy. High-performance insulation materials, such as the facade's ROCKWOOL insulation, are a key element.


Many of the construction materials have been sourced locally. The facade is local oak - historically important as the city of Kristiansand was founded on the export of oak in the 17th century - and aluminum was supplied by a factory just across the fjord.


Pioneering performance


As well as looking avant-garde, the facade represents something of a technical breakthrough for the timber construction industry, and may well have a significant influence on future projects. AF Gruppen, the main contractor for the Kilden project, gave local timber specialist Trebyggeriet the task of planning and executing the corrugated structure and the building's timber side walls.


ROCKWOOL insulation was specified for the facade, ensuring that the tough demands for thermal performance, fire safety and quality would be satisfied.


The original idea was for the facade to be built in place. But Trebyggeriet proposed a different strategy - prefabricating the timber elements. Their approach would combine traditional craftsmanship and materials with the latest 3D modeling techniques and computerized CNC milling technology.


Around 3,600 m2 of oak wall was prefabricated in 125 sections. To do this, Trebyggeriet joined forces with boat builder Risør Trebåtbyggeri, drawing on the wood-shaping knowhow of traditional boat building. The facade has a deceptively smooth exterior: there are actually over 100,000 screw holes across its surfaces, filled with bungs like the hull of a boat.


Too big for road transport, the prefabricated sections were transported to Kristiansand by barge and hoisted into place using cranes and winches.


Assembling the construction and achieving a flawless finish was a feat that required an unusual level of planning and coordination between the different contractors involved. A critical factor, for example, was ensuring that the timber elements matched with holes drilled for mounting in the steel construction prefabricated by Ruuki in Finland.


Reasons to smile


Since its inauguration in January, 2012, Kilden Performing Arts Centre has hosted a busy schedule of events. It's a world-class venue and a cultural focal point for the south of Norway. But iconic status aside, the building provides something that architect Samuli Woolston feels is often overlooked in modern urban architecture - happiness.


"Architecture should make you happy," he says. "People appreciate expressive buildings, with the additional layer of character and emotion that architecture can bring. It's about thinking of how we can give something back to society, beyond just the most functional solution. That's always possible to some extent - regardless of the budget."

Kilden performing arts centre

AVAB CAC as Manufacturers

AVAB CAC supplied and installed all the lighting, dimming and control equipment; it includes GrandMA2 consoles, Robert Juliat fixtures, and State Automation dimmers.


More from the manufacturer:


Kilden Performing Arts Centre in Kristiansand will be the biggest arts centre between Oslo and Stavanger when the doors open for artists and audiences in the autumn of 2011. Kilden is to be the joint centre for three independent institutions: Agder Regional Theater, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and Opera Sør (the regional opera company). In addition, Kilden vill act as an arts centre with a host function - for local amateurs and professional artists alike, both domestic and international.


Kilden has four halls that may be in use simultaneously, so that the building may have room for audiences of up to 2270, depending on the character of the events. The Concert Hall is the biggest with its 1185 seats. The Theatre and Opera Hall holds 700 seats, and the Multi Hall and the Intimscenen holds 235 and 150 seats respectively.


AVAB CAC is the proud supplier and installer of all the lighting- dimming- and control-equipment throughout the Centre, including GrandMA2 consoles, Robert Juliat fixtures, and State Automation dimmers.

Kilden Waved Wall

Design-to-Production as Parametric Plannung

Design-to-production was commissioned to carry out the detailed fabrication planning for the wooden façade. A pre-fabrication and assembly concept was developed which divides the whole façade into 126 elements. All 14,309 individual components of the huge timber puzzle were produced on computer-controlled machines.


More from the parametric plannung:


Since 2012 the Kilden Performing Arts Center is the new home of the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, the Agder Theater and the Opera South. Designed by Finnish architects ALA, the outstanding feature of the building is the so-called «Wave Wall», a 3,500 square meter undulating timber façade that looms over the foyer areas and defines the building’s face towards the waterfront. The wall cantilevers up to 35 m and is bisected by a vertical steel/glass façade into an exterior roof and the interior wall of the foyer - demanding a very high quality.


designtoproduction was commissioned by Norwegian timber contractor Trebyggeriet to carry out the detailed fabrication planning for the wooden façade. Together with Lehmann Timber Construction, structural engineers SJB Kempter Fitze and boat-building specialists Risør Trebåtbyggeri, a pre-fabrication and assembly concept was developed, dividing the whole façade into 126 elements that could be pre-assembled to minimize on-site labor while guaranteeing a high level of precision. All 14,309 individual components of the huge timber puzzle were produced on computer-controlled machines, based on detailed information from designtoproduction’s parametric model.

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