Three years after its completion, a series of stunning new photos by Timon Koch released on Snøhetta’s website shows how the underwater restaurant ‘, south coast of Norway) has become “embraced” by nature. Developed by its owners in close collaboration with marine biologists, Under is Europe’s first underwater restaurant, a building where “the chef can harvest dinner from the roof”. Mussels have become an important part of Under’s menu, and the kitchen continues its meticulous focus on using every possible ingredient, also items not normally used for food, provided that it comes from the restaurant’s breeding ground. The site was designed to fully integrate into its marine environment over time, with its concrete shell aimed to function as an artificial reef, supporting the rich biodiversity of the surrounding area: the planned integrations are already coming to life. Under was also designed to give people greater insight into life in the sea: in Lindesnes the less salty water from the Baltic Sea meets the very salty Atlantic Ocean, which creates a peak of species diversity by accumulating both the species that thrive best in partly brackish water and in salty sea. Marine biologists were able to study underwater life and fish behaviour up-close without disturbing, leading to unique insights and even the rediscovery of species thought to be obsolete. Read more: Snøhetta
All photos by Timon Koch: download high-res images here